According to preliminary statistics from November 18th, more than 61% of voters in San Bernardino County, Southern California, supported a proposition aimed at ensuring funding for law enforcement and increasing the salaries of certain elected officials.
The proposition calls for providing minimum funding in unplanned areas to ensure adequate law enforcement staffing and adjusting the salary calculation method for certain elected officials, excluding county supervisors and school district directors.
The aim of the proposition is to prevent future government cuts to law enforcement funding, ensure that public safety departments have sufficient resources to protect the public, and provide competitive compensation for certain elected officials.
Data from the Secretary of State’s website shows that the proposition received over 400,000 votes in support, leading the opposition by about 150,000 votes.
Currently, around 23,000 ballots are yet to be counted, with another 13,000 requiring signature validation and other reviews. More than 85,000 voting eligible residents did not vote on the proposition.
The election results will be certified on December 3rd, and if approved, the law will take effect on January 1, 2025.
In 2020, George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis sparked the “defund the police” movement, intensifying discussions related to law enforcement funding.
While some local authorities, including the cities of Los Angeles and San Leandro in California, as well as other cities across the U.S. like Portland in Oregon and Seattle, have chosen to reduce some police funding, San Bernardino County voters are now set to ensure law enforcement funding through Proposition L.
Currently, the county is considering determining fair salaries for elected officials, including sheriffs and district attorneys, based on the salaries of five neighboring counties: Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Ventura.
However, if Proposition L is approved, the county will remove Kern County (the lowest-paying of the five reference counties) from the salary calculation formula and replace it with Los Angeles County (which has higher salaries than the other four counties). Existing salary caps related to the average salaries of neighboring counties will also be eliminated.
According to data from the public salary database “Transparent California,” this change will significantly increase the average salaries for some positions.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna earned over $400,000 in income in 2023, while Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood’s salary was around $218,000.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón earned approximately $477,000 last year, while Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer’s income was close to $203,000.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus received a salary of over $291,000 in 2023, and District Attorney Jason Anderson’s salary was around $272,000.
As indicated by the county’s announcement, the proposition signals the need for higher salaries to recruit and retain qualified talent.
Proposition L requires the county to publish salary details on its website and provide statistical data related to service requests, incident reports, and current and past two years’ law enforcement budget for unplanned areas.
According to the measure, previous year’s average data will be used to determine future minimum staffing budget levels.
The law does not mandate tax increases but prioritizes funding for law enforcement.
In financial emergencies, the proposition allows the board of supervisors to suspend the budget provisions with a 4/5 majority vote.
Supporters of the proposition believe that ensuring staffing levels for law enforcement will help reduce theft and alleviate retail price inflation caused by rising theft and insurance costs.
“The cost of living continues to rise for all of us. Meanwhile, residents of San Bernardino County feel insecure in the community as lenient policies towards crime have led to an increase in crime rates, forcing them to be vigilant at all times,” supporters stated in their arguments submitted to the county. “We can’t go on living like this anymore.”
However, some critics point out that elected officials who will receive raises, including sheriffs and district attorneys, already have adequate compensation.