San Diego County’s proposed charter reform is the necessary “defensive shield” needed to protect our residents from the Trump administration’s volatile dismantling of programs for housing, healthcare, food assistance and workforce development.
Today’s destruction will not have a short shelf life tomorrow. The voids created by federal funding cuts will take years to overcome, with consequences that ripple through our communities long after the headlines fade. Families will struggle longer to find stable housing. Seniors will face harder choices about healthcare. Working people will have fewer pathways to economic opportunity.
That is exactly why the county must become more efficient, more transparent and better managed to help fill those gaps.
The charter reforms are about local control, transparency and building power in communities that have too often been left out of decision-making. The hardest hit will be low-income families already navigating systemic barriers, communities of color and people with disabilities — those who rely most on public systems when everything else falls short.
If we are serious about equity, then we must also be serious about accountability.
The proposed Independent Ethics Commission, Independent Budget Analyst, and strengthened independent oversight of county programs are absolutely necessary to resist corruption and ensure resources reach those in need — rather than political cronies or backroom priorities. We need transparency not as a slogan, but as a part of our county’s everyday operating system system.
These reforms would help ensure that when programs fail, someone is responsible for fixing them — and that the public can see how and why decisions are made.
At a time when trust in government is fragile, these kinds of safeguards are essential.
The only way to fight MAGA extremism at the federal level is by strengthening local government where we still have power. For the first time since 1978, San Diego County’s charter reforms represent a real opportunity to modernize our government into one that is more progressive, more transparent and more resilient — one that can withstand federal overreach while continuing to protect essential services.
Extending term limits from two to three terms will provide stability for long-term planning and the experience needed to make those plans happen. The challenges we face — from housing affordability to behavioral health — are not solved in four or eight years. They require sustained focus and leadership.
At the same time, the power remains exactly where it belongs: in the hands of San Diego County voters. Residents can vote any elected official out of office, whether they are serving eight years or twelve. Extending term limits does not weaken accountability — it strengthens the county’s ability to follow through on complex, long-term solutions while preserving voter control.
San Diego County has the talent, resources and commitment to lead on equity. But leadership requires systems that match those values. It requires structures that ensure resources are directed to the communities that need them most — and that when programs fall short, there is a clear, independent mechanism to identify problems and fix them.
We cannot afford inefficiency at a moment like this. We cannot afford opacity when so much is at stake.
Timing is everything, and the time is right to make these charter changes. As federal support becomes less certain, local governments must be ready to step up — not just with good intentions, but with strong systems that deliver real results for real people.
These reforms are about building a county government that is transparent, accountable and capable of meeting the moment we are in.
I strongly support these charter reforms and the Board of Supervisors giving San Diego County voters the chance to make these critical choices.
Wendy Gelernter is a 40-year resident of San Diego, where she leads Take Action San Diego, a chapter of Indivisible and of Swing Left, where she organizes volunteers coordinates civic engagement efforts and empowers everyday citizens to take meaningful political action.
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