County Lobbyists' Contracts to be Opened for Bids

RIVERSIDE - Riverside County's three state lobbyists will have to compete to keep their contracts with the county, the Board of Supervisors decided today.

At the urging of Supervisor Jeff Stone, the board voted 4-0 -- with Supervisor Marion Ashley absent -- to open up bidding on the contracts in the fall.

Cline & Duplissea, Michael Y. Corbett & Associates and Nielson, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross & Leoni -- all based in Sacramento -- sought to have their contracts with the county renewed at a total cost of $395,526.

Stone objected, saying only Cline & Duplissea had proven its worth.

''We don't...