Villaraigosa losing top aide***

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has managed to keep his team together for nearly two years, is losing one of his top aides.
Deputy Mayor Marcus Allen, who has overseen the administrative side of the mayor's office in working with city agencies, told the mayor he is leaving to go into private business with Arnie Berghoff, one of the top lobbyists in the city.
"We are going to miss him," Villaraigosa said. "I didn't want to lose him, but it was a matter of money. He has a family and the city could only pay so much."
Allen came to Villaraigosa after working as chief deputy to City Controller Laura Chick. Before that, he worked in the chief legislative analyst's office after having worked for then-Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky.
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Allen is joining a joint venture with Berghoff and Harvey Englander and will be a partner with the two. He is scheduled to leave his city service and start with the new firm in early July.