BOND TICKER : ORANGE COUNTY IN BANKRUPTCY : Citron Grilled for Five Hours by Prosecutors

Four days after pleading guilty on six felony counts, former Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron spent nearly five hours Monday being interviewed by local prosecutors.

Monday’s session was the first of what promise to be many lengthy discussions in which Citron gives information to those investigating the county’s financial crisis.

Citron, 70, has vowed to cooperate with all law enforcement authorities. He faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison and a $10-million fine but remains free until the investigations are complete.

Citron and his lawyer, David W. Wiechert, ate lunch Monday in the Superior Court cafeteria but would not discuss their interview at the district attorney’s office.

College District to Consider Land Sale

Also today, the North Orange County Community College District is scheduled to consider ways of recovering from its financial crisis.

The district had nearly $86 million in the ill-fated county investment pool Dec. 6, including $50 million borrowed strictly for investment purposes.

Under the proposed pool settlement, the district would receive 90% of its money back, leaving a shortfall of more than $8 million.

To help ease the budget crunch, trustees will decide whether to declare 44 acres of undeveloped district land in Yorba Linda as surplus property, a first step toward selling the parcel.

Anti-Measure R Group to Discuss Strategy

The Committees of Correspondence, a citizens’ watchdog group that has emerged as a vocal critic of the county in the wake of the financial crisis, will hold a meeting Wednesday in Orange.

Former Assemblyman Gil Ferguson and public television commentator Hugh Hewitt will speak at the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at Orange City Hall, 300 E. Chapman Avenue.

The group will also discuss its plans to oppose Measure R, the half-cent sales tax increase on the June 27 ballot.

Compiled by Times correspondent Shelby Grad, with staff writer Jodi Wilgoren and correspondent Alan Eyerly.