What is the LA County Board of Supervisors?
The Most Powerful Local Governing Body in the Nation
LA County is divided into five large districts that are each represented by one supervisor. Each of the five supervisors are elected to a maximum of three 4-year-terms. They control the largest county in the United States with over 10 million residents and a 35 billion dollar budget. 2020 marks the first year in history that the board is comprised of all women.
Supervisor, First District
Hilda Solis
since 2014
Supervisor, Second District
Holly Mitchell
since 2020
Supervisor, Third District
Sheila Kuehl
since 2014
Supervisor, Fourth District
Janice Hahn
since 2016
Supervisor, Fifth District
Kathryn Barger
since 2016
"The Board of Supervisors fulfills three major powers in County government: executive, legislative and quasijudicial.
In an executive capacity, the responsibilities of a county supervisor to constituents who reside in unincorporated areas are similar to those of a mayor of an incorporated city. The supervisor is required to administer all local governmental services.
In its legislative role, the Board may adopt ordinances and rules, both to control the administration of County government and to regulate public conduct within the unincorporated areas of the County.
Acting in a quasijudicial capacity, the Board acts as an appeals board on zone exception cases of the Regional Planning Commission. It sits for hearings on county improvement districts and on appeals in licensing matters.
The Board of Supervisors is responsible for the adoption of an annual budget outlining the expenditures of all branches of the County on a fiscal-year basis. It also serves as the governing body of many special districts, including Flood Control and Fire Protection Districts. The Board supervises the activities of the chief executive officer and all County departments, determines County and special district policies and sets salaries of County personnel. Each supervisor has the responsibility of selecting citizens to serve on the various County commissions and committees. In addition to the duties specifically assigned to the Board of Supervisors by law, each Board office acts as a liaison between the public and the many branches of government."
Kathryn Barger
LA County's 5th District Representative
Fifth District Population: 2,035,042 Square Miles: 2,807
Room 869
Main #: 213-974-5555
Fax #: 213-974-1010 kathrynbarger.lacounty.gov
E-mail: kathryn@bos.lacounty.gov
La Canada is in the 5th district of Los Angeles County which is the largest district covering 2,807 square miles and encompassing 22 cities and 70 unincorporated communities. Kathryn is the only Republican supervisor currently on the LA County Board of Supervisors and is married to Eric Leibrich a retired LA Sheriff's Deputy. Kathryn has focused on advocating for foster children, seniors, veterans, those with disabilities, and those with mental illness by creating policies to expand health care access. Recently she signed a moratorium on evictions to assist residents impacted by the pandemic. She was later criticized for being the sole supervisor in opposition to restricting outdoor dining due to the pandemic. During a July 2020 vote Kathryn Barger was criticized for being the only dissenting vote as the Board of Supervisors voted to create a plan to close Men's Central Jail, which consistently ranks as one of the worst jails in the United States. Kathryn Barger has previously affirmed her support for our Sheriff's Department stating that "our Sheriff’s Department is the finest in the nation because they are held to the highest standard and the vast majority are outstanding men and women.”
In addition to being a supervisor, Kathryn Barger also serves on the boards of Metrolink, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, North County Transportation Coalition, High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Authority, National Association of Counties’ Large Urban County Caucus, Southern California Association of Governments, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, California State Association of Counties, Local Agency Formation Commission, and Los Angeles County Mental Health Commission.
How Kathryn Barger Can Help You !
We elect our representatives so that they can serve as our advocates!
Unincorporated areas of the county do not have their own city government and thus directly rely on the governance of the supervisors. Cities such as La Canada have their own local government, but still rely on and work closely with the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors directly control the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Assessor, District Attorney, Auditor-Controller, and Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors. Thus, Kathryn Barger is far more powerful than our local government and as our elected representative she is here to help give you a voice in our County Government! Kathryn Barger has previously pressured the Federal Government to recognize the Armenian Genocide, she co-authored a bill to address homelessness, and fought to expand state-sponsored mental health care. In our community she helps provide the summer Beach Bus service, she introduced a motion directing county departments to prioritize safety and environmental factors in the Devil’s Gate Dam sediment removal project, she allocated 3.3 million dollars of the county budget for a sound wall in La Canada. Send Kathryn Barger and email today and start making change in our community! No issue is too big or too small and as our representative her job is to fight for you!
Next Election
The next general election for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is on November 5, 2024. Kathryn Barger's term officially ends on December 2, 2024. Kathryn Barger will be eligible to be elected for one additional four year term.