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Kathryn Barger

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Kathryn Barger
Chair of Los Angeles County
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 3, 2024
Preceded byLindsey Horvath
In office
December 3, 2019 – December 8, 2020
Preceded byJanice Hahn
Succeeded byHilda Solis
Chair pro tempore of Los Angeles County
In office
December 5, 2023 – December 3, 2024
Preceded byLindsey Horvath
Succeeded byHilda Solis
In office
December 4, 2018 – December 3, 2019
Preceded byJanice Hahn
Succeeded byHilda Solis
Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
from the 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 5, 2016
Preceded byMichael D. Antonovich
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
EducationOhio Wesleyan University (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Kathryn Ann Barger-Leibrich is an American politician, serving as a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors[1] for the 5th District since 2016 and is the Chair of Los Angeles County.[2] A member of the Republican Party, Barger served as Chair of Los Angeles County from 2019 to 2020 and 2024-Present.[3] She previously served as Chief Deputy Supervisor and Chief of Staff to her predecessor Mayor Michael D. Antonovich.[4]

Career

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Barger began her career in government in 1988 when she interned in the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. By 2001 she had risen up the ranks to Antonovich's chief of staff .[3]

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

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Tenure

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In her role as a county supervisor, Barger has co-authored bills furthering the county’s support for veterans[5] and foster children,[6] as well as modernizing the County's mental health system.[7]

Barger also co-authored motions to address homelessness in LA County, which notably includes a bill passed by the California State Assembly in May 2018 amending the state’s definition of “gravely disabled”, and allowing more state-sponsored medical care to be provided to those who may be suffering from a serious mental illness.[8][9] Barger also established the County's Blue-Ribbon Commission on Homelessness to identify and correct the structural barriers to solving the County's homelessness crisis.[10]

Barger coauthored a motion creating the Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Safety, which was intended to explore the impact that Assembly Bill 109, California Proposition 47, and California Proposition 57, which were collectively aimed at converting many nonviolent drug offenses into misdemeanors and allowing for the early release of some inmates, has had inside of Los Angeles County.[11] The formation of the commission was a reaction to the murder of police Officer Keith Boyer, and ultimately passed on a 3-0 vote with abstentions. The commission membership at its inception was controversial, with critics citing that many of the 27 members drafted to the commission were directly affected by Proposition 47, coming from roles within the county’s judicial system.[12][11] Other critics noted that linking the murder of Officer Boyer to the passage of criminal reform efforts was misguided because the error that led to the release of Officer Boyer’s murderer was committed at the county level.[13][14]

In 2017, Barger was the only opposition in a 4-1 vote to eliminate the "registration fee" that the Los Angeles County Public Defender's office and other court-appointed counsel charge defendants before providing them with legal services.[15][16]

In 2017, Barger was the only opposition in a 4-1 vote to establish the Business Registration program, which would levy a fee on businesses to create a registry and connect them with county resources.[17]

On December 3, 2019, Barger was elected by a unanimous vote of the Board to become its chair, succeeding Janice Hahn.[18]

Barger served as the Chair of the Board for the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[19]

5th District boundaries

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The Fifth District is the largest Supervisorial district of Los Angeles County, spanning 2,785 square miles, and includes 20 cities and 83 unincorporated communities in the San Gabriel, San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys.[20]

Electoral history

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Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 5th district, 2020[21]
Primary election
Candidate Votes %
Kathryn Barger (incumbent) 240,403 58.75
Darrell Park 84,611 20.68
John Harabedian 84,199 20.58
Total votes 409,213 100.00
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 5th district, 2016[22]
Candidate Votes %
Kathryn Barger 105,520 29.64%
Darrell Park 55,185 15.50%
Bob Huff 52,359 14.71%
Ara James Najarian 46,587 13.08%
Mitchell Englander 42,823 12.03%
Elan Carr 40,580 11.40%
Billy Malone 8,701 2.44%
Rajpal Kahlon 4,285 1.20%
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 5th district, runoff 2016[23]
Candidate Votes %
Kathryn Barger 350,998 57.90%
Darrell Park 255,165 42.10%

Personal life

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Kathryn Barger was born and raised in the 5th District. Barger attended Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, earning a BA in Communications/Government in 1983.[24] She is married to a retired Sheriff’s deputy and lives in the San Gabriel Valley.[25] Her brother is John M. Barger,[26] who was appointed to the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service by then-president Donald Trump in 2019.[27] Her late father Richards D. Barger was appointed California Insurance Commissioner by then-Governor Ronald Reagan, serving from 1968 to 1972.[28]

References

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  1. ^ Wells, Sandy (January 23, 2017). "LA County Supervisor Leads Effort to Deescalate Controntations Between Deputies and Homeless". KABC-AM. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  2. ^ Abram, Susan (December 5, 2016). "Janice Hahn, Kathryn Barger give LA County Board of Supervisors historic female supermajority". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Branson-Potts, Hailey (November 2, 2016). "Why Political Party Matters So Much in a Nonpartisan Race to Replace a County Supervisor". Los Angeles Times.
  4. ^ "Kathryn Barger to be Sworn in Today as Los Angeles County Supervisor Representing Pasadena". Pasadena Now. December 5, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  5. ^ "LA County Officials Approve $20 Million in Funding for Veteran Housing". NBC News. May 30, 2018.
  6. ^ "LA County will let foster children stay at their original school, even if they change homes". Los Angeles Daily News. Southern California News Group. May 6, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  7. ^ Release, Press (January 24, 2023). "L.A. County Focuses on Bringing More Mental Health Beds Into Service". SCVNews.com. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  8. ^ Abram, Susan. "following-la-county-vote-legislation-filed-to-amend-state-law-to-help-gravely-disabled-homeless". Daily News.
  9. ^ Signal Staff (June 2, 2018). "State definition of "gravely disabled" on the road to be amended". The Signal. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  10. ^ "LA BOS". LA BOS. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Agrawal, Nina (August 16, 2017). "County approves a new panel to study criminal justice reform: What's the impact of downgrading felonies and releasing inmates early?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  12. ^ Ender, Gina (August 11, 2017). "Supervisors to propose public safety commission". The Signal. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  13. ^ "County mistakes, not reform laws, allowed the alleged killer of a Whittier police officer to go fr". Los Angeles Times. The Times Editorial Board. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  14. ^ The Times Editorial Board (August 12, 2017). "County should seek the whole truth, and nothing but, on criminal justice". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  15. ^ Stoltze, Frank (June 6, 2017). "LA County drops $50 public defender fee for criminal defendants". Southern California Public Radio. SCPR. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  16. ^ Agrawal, Nina (June 6, 2017). "L.A. County ends public defender 'registration fee'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  17. ^ Duan, Crystal (May 24, 2018). "Businesses, officials sound off on new county fee". The Signal.
  18. ^ Barger, Supervisor Kathryn [@kathrynbarger] (December 3, 2019). "My term as Chair will focus on our youth — our greatest hope for future success. Through what I'm calling Our County, Our Children, Our Commitment, we will renew our dedication to the well-being of youth as the forefront of our mission to serve LA County.https://vimeo.com/373191425" (Tweet). Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Munoz, Anabel (April 24, 2020). "When will coronavirus restrictions be lifted in LA County? Board of Supervisors chair unveils 4-point plan". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  20. ^ "Los Angeles County Fifth District". Los Angeles County Fifth District.
  21. ^ "March 3, 2020 Election Results". Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  22. ^ "Los Angeles County Election Tuesday, June 7, 2016". Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  23. ^ "Los Angeles County Election Tuesday, November 8, 2016". Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  24. ^ "Kathryn Barger - Los Angeles County Supervisor". SCVHistory.com. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  25. ^ "Supervisor Kathryn Barger | Supervisor Kathryn Barger". kathrynbarger.lacounty.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  26. ^ Rainey, James. "This Low-profile politico has become focus of rage over Trump post office policies". Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  27. ^ "Postal leadership". USPS Board of Governors John M. Barger - Who we are/Leadership - About.usps.com. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  28. ^ "Insurance Industry Pioneer Richard D. Barger Has Died at the Age of 87".
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