Barger warns against new LA County executive seat

Governor's race, but we want to bring it back here locally and get you caught up on some news that ultimately L.A. County Supervisor Catherine Barger broke today during the Board of Supervisors meeting where she took a very strong stance. She's here hopping on Fox Local right now with us. Good to see you. Thank you so much. I literally was just looking at your social media and saw what happened today. This all has to do with a voter approved measure, Measure G. This was back in 2024 restructures L.A. County government, including the Board of Supervisors. It adds a county executive, an elected county executive that would make some 558 thousand dollars a year. What was your stance today and what was your news and pledge that you ultimately promised? Well, the news today was that I wanted to shed light on what many voters don't realize they voted for. And I think it's important to note that this was expansion of the board and also an ethics department that's being set up. And as a result of the haste and even putting Measure G before the voters, the voters on this ballot will have to once again vote on an ethics committee because the one that they voted on under Measure G is not independent. And it wiped out Measure J, which was care first money being allocated for diversion programs, et cetera. So, for me, today was about really highlighting what many people don't know, and that is that this elected official is someone who has no term limits, full veto power, is going to get paid over a half a million dollar more than the district attorney who has to have qualifications in order to be a district attorney. And under the qualifications to be the CEO, all you have to do is be a resident. And I have serious concerns about that. And the breaking news, quite frankly, is I've been approached, I've been with this county for a long time. Many have approached me and said, would you do it for one term just to set it up? And the answer is no. I feel it's a conflict. I have an appointee that sits on the commission that's putting this all together. I think we all have conflicts, quite frankly, on the board because we're putting this together. And so I made the pledge that I will not run for this office when it is set up. And I think that is not an unreasonable request. We're talking about transparency with the county and um the irony is not lost on me that that we are actually creating a position that is going to be the most powerful not only in the state but probably within this nation as it relates to the oversight of over 53 billion dollar budget and um all oversight over department heads we're going to be the city of LA on steroids this is a position that bottom line makes more than double what the governor of California is paid as you pointed out no term limits in this position you have pledged not to run and seek this position you are calling on your colleagues to do the same did any of them today at the Board of Supervisors meeting we have about a minute Hilda Solis did i don't know if my others will my other colleagues will but you know i think it speaks volumes um we shouldn't be in this for self-interest i never have been i ran this position because i genuinely care about the county and about the constituents that i represent and so i i hope that my colleagues will will uh consider doing the same but understand this i'm getting a request i have a request into the ethics commission as well as our county council to see if there is a conflict for anyone on this board uh to run for this position knowing that we put people on the commission that is putting this whole elected official and the measure g uh together And just for complete clarification, this position ultimately would have more power than the Board of Supervisors. Yeah, I mean, I say this facetiously, but it's not far off. The board will be in charge of cutting ribbons because ultimately the CEO has all the power. All the departments report directly to the CEO. And even the question came up today regarding legislative versus executive. I'm running up against the clock, Supervisor Barger. I'm so sorry. You were great to be able to hop on so quickly there. So Supervisor Barger making the news today. We'll follow up with the board a little bit later. Thank you so much. And with that, we're up against the clock. Thank you so much for watching Fox Local, Fox 11. Our coverage continues at the top of the hour with Christine Devine and Laura Diaz.