LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Molina, Sheriff’s Officials Clash on $2-Million Item

Supervisor Gloria Molina and Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials faced off in an angry confrontation Tuesday over the $2.2-million purchase of furniture for a new sheriff’s headquarters in Monterey Park.

Molina accused Sheriff’s Department officials of approving the purchase without properly informing the Board of Supervisors. She said the new modular furniture was an unnecessary expense, especially given the county’s budget crisis.

“It was sort of done behind our backs,” Molina said. “Sir, you don’t just do this when you’re cutting essential services.”

Fred Ramirez, the sheriff’s fiscal director, angrily denied Molina’s assertions, saying she had been informed of the furniture purchase and that it was too late to stop the sale. “You waited until January to cancel a contract you had a year ago,” he said.

Molina shouted back: “How dare you scold me!”

A motion by Molina to halt the furniture purchases died for lack of a second. The board did approve, however, a Molina motion requiring all county departments to obtain board approval for intra-department budget transfers greater than $250,000.