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In November 2020, more than two-thirds of county voters approved a ballot initiative that slashed annual compensation for county supervisors from roughly $250,000 to $60,000 and set a term limit to a single four-year stint. In response, county supervisors sued on the grounds that Measure K, as it was called, was unconstitutional. The superior court agreed; but now that ruling has been overturned by the California 4th District Court of Appeals.
The decision by the appellate court calling Measure K valid is far from the final word. The ruling is tentative pending future oral arguments that could pave the way for the county to appeal the recent decision to the California Supreme Court. The government watchdog Red Brennan Group, which authored Measure K and collected the signatures to get it on the ballot, has not commented on this most recent decision, and has called passage of Measure K a clear message from county voters.
A statement at its website says that, “If Measure K is applied honestly, current board members would finish their term and would not be eligible for reelection.”
