Urgent action was taken to address the Board of Supervisors mismanagement of County resources
For Immediate Release
BAKERSFIELD — In a bold step toward reclaiming leadership of the Board of Supervisors for the people living in Kern County, this morning a group of community leaders filed a petition at the Kern County Election’s Office to give voters the option to enact term limits on members of the Kern County Board of Supervisors. The term limit petition is the first step in holding the Board of Supervisors accountable for their leadership and decisions on the county’s services, programs, and resources available to the residents of Kern County. The Board of Supervisors have become entrenched in their positions and it’s in the best interest of all residents to hold these positions of power accountable, just like any other governing body in California like city councils and state legislators. Term limits help builds true representation for the diversity of Kern County and fosters imagination and fortitude to lead the county to a brighter future.
As evidence that the BOS does not respond to or meet the needs of the majority of county residents, the measure’s proponents note that no significant investments have been made for years with increasing rates of crime, homelessness, poverty, and neglect of public services. Last month’s 2021-2022 budget signing showed the urgent need for change in county leadership: with the County net financial position increasing trend, up to $821 million in the last five years, the BOS is enacting a budget that leaves streets without proper lighting, neighborhoods without parks, mountain and desert communities out-of-reach of life-saving services, county worker positions facing a retention crisis and fails to invest in critical human infrastructure needs such as long-term care and quality of life. It’s a penny-wise-pound foolish approach that will endanger lives.
“The senior population is projected to nearly double in the next ten years,” said Sandy Moreno, a home caregiver from California City. “But because Kern In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) caregivers are among the lowest paid in the state, we already have a critical shortage of care workers. If we don’t shore up the home care workforce, thousands of our seniors are going to be forced into expensive institutions when they deserve to live in the comfort of their homes, receiving quality care from trusted caregivers. We need smart, competent County leadership because Kern can’t wait.”
Stagnant leadership on the Board of Supervisors endangers more than seniors; lack of investment threatens the basic quality of life throughout the county.
“Our libraries and public buildings are running on shoestring budgets and roads are crumbling, all the while the BOS is squirreling away money for a rainy day. Well, that rainy day has turned into rainy years but the BOS never looked back and ran our county like a for-profit business, and made any decisions necessary to build a strong bottom line. But that’s not the objective for local governments. It’s time for a new election system that produces fresh ideas and bold leadership,” said Sonja Bennett of Bakersfield. “People are sleeping on the streets. Our social services workers need tools to help people with mental health and addiction interventions. We need leaders who invest in our communities right now.”
Maria Teresa Herrera, a parent leader from the Dolores Huerta Foundation agreed: “Los residentes del condado de Kern estamos cansados de ver que la mesa de supervisores es indiferente a las necesidades de nuestra comunidad. Ya es tiempo de un cambio y yo me uno a mis vecinos para exigir el cambio que necesitamos. ( Kern residents are tired of having a Board of Supervisors that is indifferent to the needs of our community. It’s time for a change and I join my neighbors in demanding the change we need.)”
On Thursday, September 9, proponents of the term limits petition will hold a press conference to address the long-term negative impacts of BOS mismanagement and the urgent need to replace members of this stagnant board with competent leadership. Speakers will include Maria Teresa Herrera, a parent leader from the Dolores Huerta Foundation, Sonja Bennett a retired Kern County worker and member of Service Employees International Union Local 521, and Sandy Moreno, an IHSS home care provider and member of the United Domestic Workers.
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Service Employees International Union, Local 521 represents 53,000+ public- and nonprofit, private-sector workers in California’s Bay Area, the Coast, and Central Valley. Under a Community First vision, we are committed to making sure the needs of our community, and the vital services we provide our community, come first. We believe our communities thrive when residents, elected leaders, and workers recognize that we are all in this together when it comes to our safety, health, and well-being.
