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Board Raises Spending Cap of Steiner Defense to $500,000

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to increase the defense spending cap of Supervisor William G. Steiner, who is fighting bankruptcy-related misconduct charges.

On a 4-0 vote, the board agreed to as much as double Steiner’s defense cap to $500,000, though the supervisor said he hopes to spend only a fraction of the money.

Steiner said his legal bills now total $300,000. A state appeals court is expected to rule in the next few weeks on motions to dismiss the civil misconduct charges against Steiner as well as board Chairman Roger R. Stanton.

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If his case is dismissed, Steiner said, he will only need to spend $50,000 to pay his outstanding bills.

Steiner, Stanton and Auditor-Controller Steve E. Lewis are accused of failing to prevent the county’s $1.64-billion bankruptcy. If convicted, they face removal from office.

The board provided Lewis with $300,000 in defense funds but rejected his requests for more money. Supervisors provided more than $650,000 to former budget director Ronald S. Rubino, who faced criminal charges related to the bankruptcy.

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In other action Tuesday, the board deadlocked 2 to 2 on a proposal by Stanton to prevent future development on a controversial 222-acre site in Trabuco Canyon. The vote comes two weeks after the board rejected a developer’s plan to build 321 homes on the land.

Supervisor Don Saltarelli asked county officials to examine the possibility of buying the picturesque site for use as a park or open space. He also suggested that the county work with the land owner and any third party interested in buying the land.

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