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California

New county counsel chosen by Board of Supervisors in 4-1 vote

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, shown last year, was the only vote opposing the appointment of Mark Saladino as county counsel.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, shown last year, was the only vote opposing the appointment of Mark Saladino as county counsel.
(Cheryl Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)
By Garrett Therolfwriter 
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Mark Saladino was selected Tuesday to be Los Angeles County counsel in a 4-1 vote by the Board of Supervisors.

Saladino has served as the treasurer and tax collector since 1998 and previously served as the principal deputy county counsel.

In his new position, he will lead a department with a $91.6-million budget and about 550 employees.

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The lone dissenting vote was cast by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who said the county should have waited until two newly elected supervisors arrive in December.

Ridley-Thomas’ spokeswoman Lisa Richardson said the new board should have the chance to pick its own lawyer, and she also complained that there was no competitive process.

“Saladino may be the best person, but the board didn’t consider ... any other candidates for the position,” she said.

For more news about county government, follow @gtherolf

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Garrett Therolf

Garrett Therolf previously covered Los Angeles County government with an emphasis on its child welfare system. While at The Times from 2006-16, he held assignments covering crime, the revolution in Egypt and the conflict in Iraq. He is a native Californian, and graduated from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

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