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Council approves legal‑services budget amid concerns that litigation is draining general fund
Summary
Council approved a budget amendment for outside legal services after prolonged debate about mounting bills tied to litigation involving a sitting council member and a federal case. Outside counsel and the city manager said costs have exceeded prior years and could force service cuts if litigation continues at current levels.
The West Covina City Council on June 16 approved a budget amendment to cover high outside legal bills, but the discussion exposed deep concern among council members about escalating costs tied to ongoing litigation.
City staff reported that legal and investigatory services billed approximately $874,000 through April and May for matters including federal litigation and internal investigations. Outside counsel Roger Scott, representing the city, said voluminous filings in the John Doe case and related motions have driven fees: "we spent about a little over $800,000 to date this year," he said, describing numerous docket filings and intensive motion practice that increase review and briefing time.
Council members asked pointed questions about procurement of outside firms, cost breakdowns by matter and whether insurance would cover portions of the exposure. Staff said most of these costs are borne by the general fund and that the city’s California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (JPIA) retention covers the first $1 million on typical liability claims but that this litigation may not fit a standard liability claim covered by the JPIA.
City Manager Milin warned that if the legal spending continues at the current pace, the city could face mid‑year requests to cut programs: "If these costs continue at the rate they're going, we'll probably be coming back to the council... discussing what program cuts need to be made," he said.
Some council members asked whether there was an off‑ramp — mediation or settlement — that could reduce ongoing costs. Outside counsel said federal cases often last about 12–24 months and that the more documents filed, the more counsel time billed; he could not offer a reliable worst‑case price tag. Council approved the amendment with multiple yes votes; Councilmember Gutierrez voted no.
