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

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.

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.

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.