UDW members in Kern County are celebrating our latest victory in the quest to enact term limits on a Board of Supervisors (BOS) who has done nothing to help IHSS providers or our clients in Kern County.
After years of failed negotiations with the county, UDW members joined the We Are Kern coalition, a diverse and grassroots movement to remove entrenched and failing leadership at the BOS, earlier this year.
On June 7, the county announced that the coalition had gathered 21,951 valid signatures, more than the 20,338 required to place a proposition to enact term limits on the BOS on the November ballot. The term limits petition calls for terms of public service to be limited to two terms, or eight years. Currently, the supervisors can run for an unlimited number of terms.
“We knew people in Kern County were dissatisfied with our do-nothing leaders,” said Sandy Moreno, an IHSS provider and one of the three named proponents on the term limit petition, “but we have been blown away by the overwhelming response to help elect leaders who are ready to work for a future where everyone shares in Kern’s prosperity.”
Sandy became active in the term limits campaign after witnessing first-hand how the Kern BOS would rather pay state penalties than invest in good-paying care jobs. After over five years of stalled negotiations, Kern IHSS providers like Sandy watched in horror as the county chose to accept a penalty of nearly $800,000 rather than budge on a modest wage increase for home care workers.
“Term limits will bring in new local leadership with fresh, bold ideas on how to improve administration of county services, programs, and resources and quality of life in Kern County,” said Sandy. “We are ready to remove these leaders and work toward a Kern County where every family and every community has what they need to stay healthy, safe, and strong.”
Want to get involved? Sign up here!
And don’t forget to vote for UDW-endorsed BOS candidate Louis Gill, who has pledged to support IHSS providers, our clients, and our communities throughout Kern County.
