The committee to re-elect San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos has asked Third District Supervisor Neil Derry for his support.

A letter to Derry dated April 17 states, "Over the past seven years, Mike has been able to restore public confidence and credibility to the District Attorney's Office. Mike has made political corruption a priority. He created the first Public Integrity Unit in the history of our county. He maintains a vigilant watch over the politicians and bureaucrats so that we don't drift back to the days of back room deals and corruption."

The letter was signed by Sheriff Rod Hoops, Stephen Matich, president of the Matich Corporation, Eleanor Rossi of the San Bernardino County chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, and David Lewis, executive vice president of the Lewis Group of Companies, one of the most prominent developers in the Inland Empire.

Investigators with the District Attorneys Office arrested Derry's former chief of staff, Jim Erwin, last month at Derry's office and charged him with eight felony counts of perjury and two felony counts of filing false or forged documents. The charges stemmed from unreported gifts Erwin received from Rancho Cucamonga developer Jeff Burum in January 2007, including a $13,000 Rolex watch and a trip to New York City.

The gifts, according to Erwin, were for his help in shepherding a landmark $102 million settlement between Burum's company, Colonies Partners, and the county over an Upland flood control project in November 2006.

Erwin said the infractions warranted, at most, a fine from the Fair Political Practices Commission and alleged his arrest was in reatliation for Derry's proposal to eliminate take-home vehicles for 60 employees at the District Attorney's Office to help shore up the county's projected $86 million budget deficit next year.

Derry has also proposed that county prosecutors and district attorney investigators be subject to the same pay cuts all nonsworn county employees are facing come July 1.

Derry declined to comment on the letter he received.

joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com

Michael Biane is a semi-retired real estate broker, which makes him more than qualified for the position, said Ovitt's spokesman, Burt Southard.

Ovitt would not comment.

Michael Biane, if appointed by the Board of Supervisors, would serve on one the assessment appeals board panels representing his nephew's district.

The assessment appeals board arbitrates disputes regarding the assessed value of property. Applicants go before the board and argue their case, and the panel has the power to reduce the value of the property, maintain it as is or increase it, said Becky Griffin of the clerk of the board's office.

Anyone appointed to the assessment appeals board must have a minimum of five years professional experience in California as either a certified public accountant, a licensed real estate broker, an attorney or a property appraiser accredited by a nationally recognized professional organization, according to the California Revenue and Taxation Code.

Southard said the county has seen an influx of cases brought before the assessment appeals board in the last year as a result of the economy and the foreclosure crisis.

The county is launching a new assessment appeals board Web site this week that is more navigator friendly and choc full of information, Griffin said

Supervisor Paul Biane was the catalyst behind the Inland Empire Economic Recovery Corp., a public-private nonprofit formed in December by the county as a means to address the county's foreclosure crisis. The plan: assist first-time homebuyers and buy foreclosed houses in the region in bulk, fix them up and resell them. In January, the Board of Supervisors approved giving $2.5 million to the nonprofit.

Prior to his election to the Board of Supervisors, Biane worked in the private sector with NAI Capitol Commercial Real Estate Services.

Michael Biane is the former owner of the now defunct Biane & Biane Realty, Inc. in Rancho Cucamonga.

joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com

Leonard Gumport has collected more than $9.7 million in settlements and judgements stemming from a 2000 lawsuit involving more than 20 defendants, including former top county officials and contractors convicted of bribery and other charges.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is expected to approve an amendment to Gumport's contract by $45,000, which will bring the total amount of his contract to $3.9 million.

Gumport initiated a lawsuit against key defendants in the decade-old corruption scandal following the adjudication of the defendants' criminal case. It involved former top county officials and contractors enmeshed in bribery and kickback schemes in the 1990s in exchange for lucrative billboard and trash hauling contracts.

"This was, and is, as important as any of the cases I've ever handled," Gumport said today.

Michael Biane is a semi-retired real estate broker, which makes him more than qualified for the position, said Ovitt's spokesman, Burt Southard.

Ovitt would not comment.

Michael Biane, if appointed by the Board of Supervisors, would serve on one the assessment appeals board panels representing his nephew's district.

The assessment appeals board arbitrates disputes regarding the assessed value of property. Applicants go before the board and argue their case, and the panel has the power to reduce the value of the property, maintain it as is or increase it, said Becky Griffin of the clerk of the board's office.

Anyone appointed to the assessment appeals board must have a minimum of five years professional experience in California as either a certified public accountant, a licensed real estate broker, an attorney or a property appraiser accredited by a nationally recognized professional organization, according to the California Revenue and Taxation Code.

Southard said the county has seen an influx of cases brought before the assessment appeals board in the last year as a result of the economy and the foreclosure crisis.

The county is launching a new assessment appeals board Web site this week that is more navigator friendly and choc full of information, Griffin said

Supervisor Paul Biane was the catalyst behind the Inland Empire Economic Recovery Corp., a public-private nonprofit formed in December by the county as a means to address the county's foreclosure crisis. The plan: assist first-time homebuyers and buy foreclosed houses in the region in bulk, fix them up and resell them. In January, the Board of Supervisors approved giving $2.5 million to the nonprofit.

Prior to his election to the Board of Supervisors, Biane worked in the private sector with NAI Capitol Commercial Real Estate Services.

Michael Biane is the former owner of the now defunct Biane & Biane Realty, Inc. in Rancho Cucamonga.

Voters should confirm the the location of their polling place prior to election day, which can be found on the back of cover of the sample ballot or on the county Registrar's Web site at http://www.sbcrov.com You can also call the Registrar's office at (909) 387-8300 or toll free at 1-800-881-VOTE or (909) 387-2788.

All vote by mail applications must be received by the Registrar of Voters no later than 5 p.m. on May 12. Voters who have previously submitted a request for permanent vote by mail status do not need to complete the application again.

Mail all requests to: Registrar of Voters, 777 E. Rialto Ave., San Bernardino, Ca., 92415-0770 or fax to: (909) 386-8388.

joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com

The protest in front of San Bernardino City Hall drew as many as 400 people from these walks of life and others, who share a common concern about President Obama's bailout policies.

"I got up this morning and made a sign from a piece of cardboard and a paddle from my boat because we are talking about the largest spending bill in the history of our country, which will jeopardize the future of our children for the next two generations," said Mark Perez, a Colton business owner who carried a sign saying first time protester.

The San Bernardino protest was one of hundreds of organized "tea party" protests held across the nation Wednesday including evening events in Rancho Cucamonga and Redlands.

"TEA" stands for "Taxed Enough Already," according to teapartyday.com, which lists organizers and their phone numbers.

Jim Erwin, who has served as Derry's chief of staff since September, delivered his resignation letter about 6 p.m. Monday. He has said that he offered to resign the day of his arrest but Derry declined.

"It's the right thing to do for the County, for the 3rd District, and for Jim," Derry said today at a staff meeting.

There are no immediate prospects to fill the chief of staff position. In the meantime, Steve Hauer will assist Derry with the day-to-day operations. Although no information was immediately available on Hauer, a news release from Derry's office said Hauer is already part of his staff.

stacia.glenn@inlandnewspapers.com