Drew Sitton’s recent story about the Grossmont Union High School District Board’s strife and misconduct allegations should alert every local voter to the importance of the nonpartisan offices and boards at the bottom of their ballots, as they prepare for the Nov. 3 election.
Voter guides rarely provide information about these races and candidates, and it’s difficult to find the information we need to make an informed choice. It’s natural to scan for keywords in those brief descriptions on the ballot, assume that if we haven’t heard about any recent problems everything must be going fine, and make the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fit it” vote for the incumbent.
This school board is far from the only local “dysfunctional body willing to flout its own rules.” Over 60 special tax districts in San Diego County provide fire protection, water, healthcare and other community services that cities and the county don’t. Run by elected boards, like school boards, they are meant to be directly accountable to the communities they serve, a highly responsive form of government. But in reality they often fly under the public’s radar. And this is rarely an accident.
The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is a useful example. This special district will bring in about $12.6 million in property tax revenues from East County constituents this year and making sound investments in the community’s health with those public funds is the responsibility of its five-member publicly elected Board of Directors. Most voters have little to no awareness of the district, and during my four years on the agency’s executive staff, I came to know exactly why that is.
The majority of the current GHD Board of Directors were not originally elected by the public, but were instead appointed by their colleagues. Instead of completing their term and not running for another, for decades Directors have been strategically resigning mid-term, so that the Board may appoint their successor – usually someone known and aligned with the majority – rather than holding a special election. Appointees then run as incumbents when the term ends.
While legal, this practice effectively disenfranchises voters. Many will see incumbents at the bottom of their ballots and default to that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” vote. As a result, and in the absence of term limits, many special district boards will see little turnover for long stretches of time, as has been the case on the school district’s board. Over time, apathy and ignorance about the changing needs of their constituents inevitably sets in, and compliance with the rules meant to ensure public awareness, access and transparency gets lax.
These local boards and districts are where government most directly touches our lives. If you’re being asked to cast a vote for a director or trustee, visit the agency’s website and learn what they do. Look up the candidates who want to represent you – the incumbents and challengers alike. Because that public office may actually be broken. And it may very well need fixing.
Amy Abrams
Talmadge
