San Bernardino County Salaries of County Supervisors, Measure Q (November 2012)

A San Bernardino County Salaries of County Supervisors, Measure Q ballot measure was on the November 6, 2012, ballot for voters in San Bernardino County, where it was approved.

Measure Q was the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors-sponsored measure placed on the ballot in response to Measure R, a grassroots effort by county residents. At present, the salary of San Bernardino County board supervisors is based on the average salary of board supervisors in Riverside County, Orange County, San Diego County and Los Angeles County.

With the approval of Measure Q, Los Angeles County, which of the counties used to calculate San Bernardino County salaries has the highest salaries for board supervisors, will be removed from the list of counties used to calculate the average. That means that Measure Q has the effect of slightly reducing the salary of San Bernardino County board members. Measure Q does not address the issues of benefits, including retirement, staffing costs or full-time status.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors oversees a $4 billion annual budget. In 2010, the board delegated many duties to a Chief Executive Officer.

If Measure Q and Measure R were both approved, which they were, the measure that received the most votes will be the one enacted. Measure Q received the higher vote total in number and percentage.

Election results

Measure Q
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		344,226	67.28%
No		167,369	32.72%

Final certified results from the San Bernardino County elections office.

Support

Supporters

The official voter guide arguments in favor of Measure Q were signed by:

• Cathleen S. Gregorek, a teacher
• Lyle Ballard, a small business owner
• Sergio Machado, a small business owner and U.S. army veteran
• John Navarro, a retired sheriff's detective

The editorial board of the San Bernardino Sun urged a "yes" vote on Measure Q, saying, "We agree that San Bernardino County supervisors are overpaid now, but Measure Q would address that without going to harmful extremes."

Arguments in favor

The arguments in favor of Measure Q in the official voter guide included:

• It provides assurance that elected officials will be held to high standards.
• It permanently limits the salaries and benefits of county elected officials, and sets them at a level consistent with comparably-sized counties in the region.
• It will save taxpayers $250,000 a year.

Opposition

Opponents

The official voter guide arguments against Measure Q were signed by:

• Kieran Brennan, author of Measure R and a past member of the San Bernardino County grand jury
• Robert Lovingood, a businessman and candidate for the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors
• Paul Schrader, a deputy sheriff and candidate for county sheriff
• Clint O. Air, founder of Tea Party Americans for America
• Russ Warner, a small business owner and Democratic candidate for District 40 of the California State Assembly

Arguments against

The official voter guide arguments against Measure Q included:

• Measure Q is a sham, similar to a sham proposal in 2006 when voters were tricked into approving a $50,000 annual pay increase for members of the county board by claiming that the measure was about term limits.
• County Board supervisors have lavish pay and benefits, and Measure Q will allow that to continue unchecked. This includes free cars, gasoline and cell phones for county board supervisors.
• It also includes very lavish pension benefits.
• If Measure Q passes, county board supervisors will continue to receive $270,000 a year for part-time work.
• Measure Q was "placed on the ballot by county politicians to protect their own self-interests."

External links

Suggest a link

• Argument in favor of Measure Q
• Rebuttal to arguments against Measure Q
• Argument against Measure Q
• Rebuttal to arguments in favor of Measure Q
• The "No on Measure Q" website