Voters must always be wary of spending proposals that invoke “the children.” On their face, they sound nice. Who could possibly oppose something if it’s “for the children?” But the devil is always in the details.

Such is the case for Measure Y in the city of Pomona.

The measure proposes, in brief, that the city set aside 10% of the annual general fund budget to a new Pomona Children and Youth Fund to go toward programs for young people.

Overseeing this fund would be a City Department of Children and Youth to oversee and implement the fund.

The whole thing would be led by an executive director hired by a 15-member accountability board, eight of whom must be 18-to-24 years of age.

The accountability board would consist of members appointed by the city council.

According to the city’s impartial analysis of the measure, the accountability board “would annually propose spending from the Fund for qualifying public agencies and community organizations, based on a Board-adopted Strategic Investment Plan. The City Council may either approve or disapprove all of the Board’s proposals, but may not ‘line item’ amend or modify them.”

If that sounds convoluted, that’s because it is.

Unsurprisingly, the proposal is backed by a litany of nonprofit organizations that stand to benefit from increased spending.

We’re sure they do good work, but we don’t see any justification for tying the hands of city officials when it comes to the city’s budget.

City voters already elect people to city government to represent them and make budget decisions.

City Hall already has plenty of bureaucrats and a city manager to also help make budget decisions.

New departments, new boards, new board members, new strategic investment plans.

That’s all just a bunch of unnecessary bureaucracy.

Perhaps there’s a case that the city should invest more in youth programs. Perhaps.

But the time to make that case is during the regular budget process.

Creating an unnecessary and bloated bureaucracy is the wrong way to go no matter what the intentions are.

Vote no on Measure Y.