Mission County Petition Goes to Governor

The Board of Supervisors voted to send the certified county-split petition to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the latest step in the effort to carve out a separate Mission County in the north.

County elections officials ruled last month that backers of the county split had gathered the more than 20,000 signatures needed to put the formation of a new county before voters.

Schwarzenegger now has three months to appoint a five-member commission to study the proposal, focusing on the fiscal viability of Mission County. The commission has six months, with the option of a six-month extension. Once that process is done, voters will get to decide.