Pima County board of supervisors could grow under proposed law

Pima County could get a few more supervisors.

The Senate Government Committee advanced a bill Monday afternoon to increase the size of the county board of supervisors from five members to seven.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, argued districts have grown too populous in the biggest counties for lawmakers to effectively represent their constituents. He argued the move would make county supervisors more responsive to the public.

"You want folks to be connected to their community, to be somebody they sort of interact with, instead of see every couple years on a ballot," he told the committee.

Senate Bill 1277 would also increase the size of the board of supervisors in Maricopa County.

But opponents argued that adding county supervisors would add to the costs of local government and that the boards of supervisors in Arizona are not designed to be as active as in some other states, raising the question of whether adding members would really make the boards more responsive.

"We've given them less to do," said Sen. Martín Quezada, D-Glendale.

While the bill advanced with only Republican support, Quezada said he can see the argument for the measure.

"I can see the argument why in Maricopa County and in Pima County the districts are too large to give the voters a say in what's happening there," he said, adding that he could support the bill with some changes and if counties could get money to implement it.

The measure still faces a vote of the full Senate.