Copyright © Wave Community Newspapers
Huntington Park Changes City Attorney
By Arnold Adler
Wave Community Newspapers
December 11, 2003
HUNTINGTON PARK — The City Council Monday is expected to formally approved the hiring of a new
city attorney, Francisco Leal of the Los Angeles law firm of Leal, Abich and Dominguez.
The announcement that Leal would replace interim City Attorney Anthony Canzoneri was made at the
Dec. 1 meeting following a closed session.
The vote was 3-1 with Mayor Ed Escareño and council members Ophelia Hernandez and Mario Gomez
in favor and Councilman Ric Loya opposed.
Vice Mayor Juan Noguez was absent. Tuesday Loya acknowledged that “I lost my cool.” He left the
meeting after the vote.
He said he was not against Leal personally and supported replacing the Canzoneri firm “which is not
cheap,” but thought the council should have issued a request for proposals to which both Canzoneri
and Leal could apply.
“I was surprised when the mayor proposed hiring Leal without going out for bids,” Loya said. He said
the contract offers Leal a base salary of $180 an hour, much less than Canzoneri, but it gives his firm
authority to represent the city in all cases, including labor, code enforcement and other issues for
which it may not have experience.
Loya has called for amending that portion of the contract “so we can keep the attorneys we have” in
special cases and said he’s concerned about the fact that the firm represents only one other city in
the area.
Two years ago Leal’s former law firm — Leal, Beltran and Jauregui — provided legal services to
Huntington Park, with Jesse M. Jauregui acting as city attorney. Council canceled that contract when
Jauregui left the firm. Escareño could not immediately be reached for comment".
Copyright © Wave Community Newspapers
All rights reserved
Huntington Park Changes City Attorney
By Arnold Adler
Wave Community Newspapers
December 11, 2003
HUNTINGTON PARK — The City Council Monday is expected to formally approved the hiring of a new
city attorney, Francisco Leal of the Los Angeles law firm of Leal, Abich and Dominguez.
The announcement that Leal would replace interim City Attorney Anthony Canzoneri was made at the
Dec. 1 meeting following a closed session.
The vote was 3-1 with Mayor Ed Escareño and council members Ophelia Hernandez and Mario Gomez
in favor and Councilman Ric Loya opposed.
Vice Mayor Juan Noguez was absent. Tuesday Loya acknowledged that “I lost my cool.” He left the
meeting after the vote.
He said he was not against Leal personally and supported replacing the Canzoneri firm “which is not
cheap,” but thought the council should have issued a request for proposals to which both Canzoneri
and Leal could apply.
“I was surprised when the mayor proposed hiring Leal without going out for bids,” Loya said. He said
the contract offers Leal a base salary of $180 an hour, much less than Canzoneri, but it gives his firm
authority to represent the city in all cases, including labor, code enforcement and other issues for
which it may not have experience.
Loya has called for amending that portion of the contract “so we can keep the attorneys we have” in
special cases and said he’s concerned about the fact that the firm represents only one other city in
the area.
Two years ago Leal’s former law firm — Leal, Beltran and Jauregui — provided legal services to
Huntington Park, with Jesse M. Jauregui acting as city attorney. Council canceled that contract when
Jauregui left the firm. Escareño could not immediately be reached for comment".
Copyright © Wave Community Newspapers
All rights reserved
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