On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has an opportunity to take a significant step forward that empowers communities through increased transparency.
Public trust hinges on transparency and transparency begins with meaningful public engagement. Our current system severely limits residents’ ability to participate fully in county decisions that shape their communities, and we can do better. It’s time we address this issue.
The county of San Diego currently posts Board of Supervisors meeting agendas six days before the actual meeting. However, there are often late changes or edits to the agenda that are posted the Friday before our typical Tuesday and Wednesday sessions. This extremely short notice leaves residents, especially those in unincorporated communities, with insufficient time to review critical decisions and new proposals.
It’s difficult for residents to take time off of work on such short notice. Public participation suffers, as does the quality of our decision making.
It’s important for us to consider the challenges faced by residents in unincorporated communities. Many residents must contend with significant travel barriers to attend Board of Supervisors meetings, which generally start at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Center in downtown San Diego.
For residents in places like Ramona, Borrego Springs, and Julian, this means hours of travel — sometimes up to 170 minutes each way. With limited schedules, multiple transfers, and commutes that are several hours long, public transportation is not a feasible option, or it is simply non-existent.
For those who cannot make the trip, the county does offer additional options for constituents to provide input. There are remote options like calling into meetings or submitting electronic public comments. Still, as we have seen in just the first few months of this year, frequent Public Safety Power Shutoffs hit our high fire-risk, unincorporated communities hard and completely cut off these alternative options.
The problem is clear: too many voices are being left out. When communities are excluded, the decisions made in these meetings risk being underinformed, with unintended consequences for residents. Extending the public notice period would be a simple yet transformative step toward rectifying this imbalance.
While this change might put a little more work on county staff, the benefit to our constituents is exponential. More time would allow local residents to provide critical feedback, community organizations to coordinate their responses, and an opportunity for residents to plan ahead for meaningful engagement.
Transparency is not a luxury; it is an obligation. By expanding the notice period, we empower residents to have a real voice in the decisions that impact their lives. This strengthens public participation, improves decision-making, and enhances trust in local government.
Good governance demands accessibility, responsiveness, and transparency. Let’s commit to ensuring all residents, no matter where they live in our county or how far they must travel, can fully engage with their government. The strength of our democracy depends on it.
Join me in urging the Board of Supervisors to prioritize transparency and give our communities the voice they deserve. Together, we can build a county that works for everyone.
Supervisor Joel Anderson has represented District 2 on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors since 2020. The district in East County includes more than 600,000 residents with three cities, parts of the city of San Diego, 39 unincorporated communities, and 10 tribal governments.
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