Mayor Rings Out on Job With D.A.

Mayor Robert A. Curtis left his job Thursday as a Riverside County prosecutor.

“Today is his last day,” Assistant Dist. Atty. Randall K. Tagami, Curtis’ supervisor, said.

Curtis tendered a letter of resignation on Nov. 26, the same day his follow council members designated him mayor. Last month, he told The Times that he was resigning in part to find a job closer to home but also “indirectly” because he had made $1,835 in personal phone calls from his office.

Riverside County auditors informed him that he owed taxpayers for personal calls dating back to when he joined the office in June, 1989. District attorney’s office officials said that office policy requires that reimbursement be made in a timely manner for such personal calls.

Curtis said last month that most of his phone calls were political in nature, made in his successful effort early last year to oppose a recall election supported by the Mission Viejo Co. Many calls were related to city business, he said.

Curtis had indicated that he would remain in his job as prosecutor no later than June. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Tagami said he considers the matter of Curtis’ phone tab a closed issue.

“As far as we’re concerned, he’s paid back every bill that we’ve presented to him,” Tagami said.