Bidding farewell to Supervisor Molina

Pasadena Star News

By: Cynthia Kurtz

Posted: 12/03/2014 

If you are not a political junkie, you might not have paid much attention to the transition of leadership that occurred on December 1 when Hilda Solis became the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the First District which includes a large portion of the San Gabriel Valley. She is replacing Supervisor Gloria Molina who has represented our region for 23 years. 

Being a County Supervisor is hard work. The County provides much of the police and fire serves in the SGV. It oversees storm and waste water management, county street and transportation services, disaster preparedness and response, and even manages airports like the San Gabriel Valley Airport in El Monte.

The County also provides a wide array of services that improve our quality of life including museums, parks, recreation centers, libraries, and health services.

The recent elections of Hilda Solis in the First District and Sheila Kuehl in the Third District mark first changes on the Board of Supervisors based on the passage of Measure B in 2002 that limited Supervisors to three 4-year terms. Prior transitions only occurred when a Supervisor retired so the make-up of the Board changed very slowly. 

After 23 years as a SGV Supervisor it is appropriate to take a moment to recognize Supervisor Molina. She began her career in public service 40 years ago as a deputy for State Assemblyman Art Torres and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown. She served in the Carter White House in the Office of Presidential Personnel which oversees Presidential appointments.

Her first elected office was representing the 56th District in the State Assembly. Her opponent was better financed but Supervisor Molina demonstrated her inherent tenacity becoming the first Latina elected to the State Assembly. 

As a legislator she won numerous awards including Woman of the Year from the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation and appeared on the cover of Ms. Magazine. She fought against discrimination and sponsored legislation to protect tuition-free community colleges.

In 1987 she won a seat on the Los Angeles City Council and in 1991 became the first woman elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. She has championed fiscal responsibility by eliminating pension spiking - which saved the County nearly $100 million - and resisted the use of one-time revenues for on-going programs. 

Her insistence on open and equitable government resulted in strengthening the county’s conflict of interest rules, opening competitive processes for all county contracts, and adopting tougher scrutiny of the county’s litigation costs.

And she fought tirelessly for the San Gabriel Valley to get its fair share of transportation funding. Her clear-thinking and committed political leadership will be missed.

Thank you Supervisor Molina. We are grateful for your years of service. Welcome Supervisor Solis. We look forward to working with you.