On October 14, 2025, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution expressing Tulare County’s stand against Proposition 50, the ballot measure before California voters to redraw Congressional district boundaries. (The proposition passed in the November, 2025 election at 64.42% in favor.)
On June 5, 2026, I became interested in who requested this item be brought forth before the Board of Supervisors, and filed a Public Records Act request. To it’s credit, Tulare County responded quickly and thoroughly.
In that request, I asked who directed the item be placed on the agenda, and who wrote the suggested resolutions (one supporting the proposition, and one opposing it). After wading through a bunch of emails, and numerous copies of the same documents providing background (everyone seems to forward responses with the attachments), it became relatively clear.
Supervisor Vander Poel, in an email to the Board of Supervisors Chief of Staff, Israel Sotelo, on September 29, 2025, said, “I was approached this weekend regarding Tulare County’s position on Proр 50. I noticed Kern County took a position recently. Can we get an agenda item set for mid October to consider the same?”
On October 14, the item was on the Board agenda, with two drafts presented. One in support of the proposition, and one opposed.
Staff researched the issue, with emails flying fast and furious from hither and yon as they worked on Vander Poel’s request.
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Tulare County Board of Supervisors Public Records Request – the road so far
June 15, 2026
Jim Reeves commentary, News, Personal california, politics, Propostion 50, TCBOS, Tulare County Board of Supervisors, visalia, voting Leave a comment
On June 5, 2026, I made a public records request of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, regarding their resolution to stand in opposition to Proposition 50 on the California ballot. I asked for documentation on who requested the Board place the item on the agenda for the October 14, 2025 Board meeting. That request was satisfied later the same day, with the requester being identified as Supervisor Vander Poel. I immediately made another request, the same day, as to who wrote the voted-on resolution, and any emails, memos, or other documentation regarding the wording of the resolution. That request was responded to today, June 15, 2026. In it, they sent me various drafts of the resolution, and documentation from the state regarding the proposition (the same information from voter guides put out by the state of California). Those documents did not reveal who actually wrote the approved resolution, or who requested or influenced that wording. Their response to me today says they expect to have the rest of the information by June 29, 2026.
“As requested, the following documents are attached: Board Agenda Item Packet, Revised Board Agenda Item Packet, Proposition 50 Ballot Title and Summary, Opposition Resolution, Opposition Resolution Draft 1, Opposition Draft 2, Support Resolution and Support Resolution Draft 1.
The Board of Supervisors has completed an initial review of your request and pursuant to Government Code § 7922.535(a), has determined that your request, “in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records” in our possession. We estimate that disclosable records will be made available to you by June 29, 2026.
Thank you
Here are those resolutions, in draft forms, both supporting and opposing Proposition 50. You’ll notice those in opposition are more fleshed out than the ones in support. Foreshadowing?
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