Ingram, county counsel differ on Supes expressing an opinion on Prop 50 — alleges the board is getting ‘bad legal advice’

“I just want to know why every time I ask to get an item on the agenda, I am told no,” Lassen County District 5 Supervisor Jason Ingram complained to Lassen News. “Nobody on the dais is any better than anybody else.”

Ingram told LassenNews he asked to have Proposition 50 placed on the board of supervisors’ agenda, and he was told no — based a legal opinion expressed by county counsel.

“County counsel’s excuse is the Fair Political Practices Commission and the attorney general are the reasons I can’t have this on the agenda,” Ingram said.

But a frustrated Ingram said he’s been here before, and this isn’t a new issue for him — he said he’s been told no every time he’s asked to have an item placed on the agenda.

According to a post on Ingram’s Facebook page, “I urge everyone to vote no on Proposition 50. This measure misrepresents the interests of our community in the North State. I requested to have it agendized and put it to a vote by the board, but our county counsel claimed we can’t address propositions due to FPPC regulations. I find that hard to believe. We’re getting bad legal advice. If other boards of supervisors can do it across the state, we can too.”

According to AI overviews on this legal question
Yes, boards of supervisors can weigh in on propositions. They often take official positions, either in support or opposition, on both state and local ballot measures that could affect the county.

In California, a county board of supervisors has no special authority to vote on statewide propositions. Supervisors vote as individual citizens in the general election, just like any other registered voter.

However, a county board can vote to pass a resolution to officially support or oppose a statewide ballot measure.

While they do not have a special vote, a board of supervisors can vote as a legislative body to take an official position on a statewide proposition.

This action is separate from the election itself. Boards of supervisors frequently pass resolutions to formally support or oppose a ballot measure, with the resolution reflecting the collective stance of the board. These resolutions allow a county to officially weigh in on a measure that may impact the county’s residents or operations.

As recent examples demonstrate, county boards of supervisors in California have voted on resolutions concerning Proposition 50, a statewide ballot measure on the November 2025 ballot. Some counties voted to support the proposition, while others voted in opposition.

So, what actions have other boards of supervisors in other counties done regarding Prop 50?
Click here to read about Siskiyou County’s Board of Supervisors opposition to Prop 50.

Click here to read about Mendocino County’s Board of Supervisors rejection of a resolution supporting Prop 50.

Click here to read about Marin County’s Board of Supervisors support of Prop 50.

Click here to read about San Mateo’s Board of Supervisors support of Prop 50.