POLITICAL WATCH : It’s Time to Talk

It’s hardly news that two-career couples often have too little time to talk, or to catch up with one another and find out what the other is thinking and doing. Usually such communication shortcuts are of private concern only. But in Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina’s case, a lack of communication with her husband, Ron Martinez, about a county contract is of public interest.

Martinez’s firm, PeopleWorks, has been doing employee training for the county, apparently without Molina’s knowledge. Molina says she has not voted on any contract involving her husband or his firm. But the county affirmative-action officer authorized a contract with Martinez’s firm anyway, even after the contract had been pulled from consideration by the county board. Martinez says his oral contract with the county is worth $100,000. “You got us,” he told a Times reporter. “We’re spending $100,000 with no authority from the board.”

“I guess I should (have known),” Molina said when asked about her husband’s contract. Yes, she should have. Molina said that when she was a member of the Los Angeles City Council, Martinez did no business with the city, “and that is going to be the same situation with the county.” Good. The sooner, the better.

“I have a job that keeps me busy about 80 hours a week . . . ,” Molina said. The supervisor added that she and her husband “just don’t try to discuss each other’s business in the couple of hours we get.”

Henceforth it would be best to find the time. Appearance counts.