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Board approves sending charter reforms on ethics, audit and budget analysis to November ballot after amendments
Summary
After hours of public testimony and negotiation, the Board approved a charter amendment ballot measure that would create an independent ethics function, nonpartisan budget analysis and a program auditor; the package was amended during debate to clarify implementation and term‑limit language.
After a daylong debate, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to place a package of charter amendments before voters in November that would create new independent oversight functions: a budget analyst, a program auditor and an ethics review mechanism. The measure — advanced by Chair Lawson Reamer and a broad stakeholder coalition — drew support from public‑interest groups, labor, and community organizations and opposition focused on a provision that would change supervisorial term limits.
Board amendments: During the public discussion supervisors raised concerns about the independence and appointment process for the new offices and the question of how any new term‑limit language would apply to current members. The motion adopted clarifying language on appointment and implementation and clarified that the charter change would set a three‑term limit (12 years) but did not create an automatic reset granting three additional full terms to incumbents. The board pledged implementation details would be worked out by a stakeholder working group.
Why it matters: The changes would alter the county’s charter — its foundational rules — and create permanent offices intended to provide nonpartisan fiscal and program evaluation and strengthen transparency. Opponents contended the package bundled unrelated topics and could concentrate appointment power; supporters said voters should decide.
What happened next: The board passed the amended measure and placed it on the November 3, 2026 ballot. County staff and ballot counsel will finalize ballot question language and required fiscal statements.
Vote: The motion to send the measure to the ballot passed with two supervisors recorded as voting against the final motion.
