http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pe.com%2Flocalnews%2Fpolitics%2Fstories%2FPE_News_Local_S_stone24.38a5b2a.html&date=2009-03-24
Riverside supervisor touts sister's pro-bono work for county, pays her from campaign fund
Monday, March 23, 2009
Supervisor Jeff Stone frequently praises his sister as Riverside County's best bargain because she works full-time as an unpaid volunteer in his office.
But records show he paid Lori Stone more than $180,000 in campaign money last year for political consulting and professional services and he assigned her the free use of a county car with taxpayer-funded gasoline included.
Over the past three years, Stone's campaign payments to his sister totaled about $330,000.
In reporting this story, The Press-Enterprise tried to interview Lori Stone and another staff member. Jeff Stone directed them not to comment and asked that requests be referred to him.
Stone then declined to discuss the issues in person or by phone, saying he wanted all questions submitted in writing by e-mail. The Press-Enterprise declined. Stone then sent a lengthy e-mail defending his sister's use of a county car and her volunteer service.
"In addition to Lori putting in 50 to 60 hours a week of her time to improve the quality of life of women in the 3rd District, she was having to endure a personal expense of transporting herself throughout the County to do the fine work she does," he wrote. "I felt it was a lot to ask of a full time volunteer to not only donate her time to the County pro bono but to expect her to pay for all her travel expenses."
Stone, who plans to run for state Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth's seat in 2010, said his sister's use of a county car as his volunteer legislative assistant was consistent with county policies.
County spokesman Ray Smith said restrictions on volunteers' use of county vehicles do not apply to supervisors, only to the department heads and workers that serve under them.
Roman Porter, spokesman for the state's Fair Political Practices Commission, said Stone's payments to his sister do not violate any laws provided they are entirely for political, legislative or governmental purposes.
But the large amount of money to a sibling raises questions, said Bob Stern, president of the Los Angeles-based Center for Governmental Studies.
Stone paid his sister almost $40,000 more in 2008 than he earned as a county supervisor.
Stone was re-elected by a landslide in 2008 against a challenger who raised less than $1,000, a fact that gave Stern pause.
"Campaign consultants do not get almost $200,000 for noncompetitive races," Stern said, adding: "I don't think any legislative assistant gets $200,000. The question is what is she doing for her pay? I think this is case No. 1 for saying relatives should not be paid out of campaign funds because it's just too open for abuse."
Volunteer Work?
Stern said Stone could legally pay a legislative assistant's salary out of his campaign funds, but the pay must be in line with the amount of work and the skill level of the person performing it.
That aside, Stone has repeatedly said his sister works entirely for free for the county, identifying her as a "volunteer" on his Web Site.
Lori Stone works on homelessness issues, serves on the Riverside County Women's Commission and was appointed official county spokeswoman for the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement team, Stone said in his e-mail. He added that she has launched and run several successful fundraisers for nonprofit organizations.
"Replacing her on my staff would cost the county a minimum of $60-70,000 per year in salary not including benefits," he said. "The citizens of this county are the beneficiaries of her pro-bono work."
County rules would not permit Stone to directly hire his sister for his staff or directly supervise her.
A county ordinance forbids county officers, including supervisors, from involvement in decisions to employ, retain, promote or make work assignments for a sibling or other immediate relative on the county payroll. The ordinance does not apply to volunteers, county spokesman Smith said.
County Car
Lori Stone has never been on the county payroll but drives a county car, a 2000 Ford Explorer. The county purchased the sport utility vehicle in 1999 for its Transportation and Land Management Agency, records show.
In May 2007, the car was transferred to Stone's office, where it was assigned to Lori Stone, according to fleet records.
The car had almost 105,000 miles on it when it was reassigned and is now nearing 132,000 miles, according to fleet records. Drivers of county vehicles rely on county gas pumps and county maintenance services, officials said.
Bob Howdyshell, director of county purchasing and fleet services, said supervisors' staff members often seek cars that have been used by other departments in the interest of frugality. But Lori Stone's situation is one-of-a-kind because she is a full-time volunteer, he said.
"I am not familiar with anyone who is a volunteer and has a long-term arrangement with a vehicle," he said of the vehicles used in county departments.
A county ordinance states that volunteers may not use county vehicles without justification from the relevant department head and authorization from the county executive officer.
But the requirement does not apply to the supervisors or their staff, Smith said. That's because supervisors set policy and oversee the county executive officer and department heads, he said. The requirements do not specifically refer to supervisors, he added.
Only the board would have the ability to change those rules to include them and their staffs, Smith said.
Reach Julia Glick at 951-368-9442 or jglick@PE.com
Consulting Pay
Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone says his sister Lori Stone is a volunteer in his office. Meanwhile he has paid her more than $330,000 in campaign funds for consulting and professional work over the past three years.
2008
Campaign contributions
$218,696
Payments made
$444,115
Consulting, professional
payments to Lori Stone
$181,000
2007
Campaign contributions
$302,390
Payments made
$266,769
Consulting, professional
payments to Lori Stone
$84,000
2006
Campaign contributions
$342,412
Payments made
$268,009
Consulting, professional
payments to Lori Stone
$67,076
Source: Campaign finance filings
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