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The first Villaraigosa inaugural invitations are going out. As you can see on the full-page PDF file, dining and dancing with the mayor-elect won't come cheap. For the June 30 black tie reception and dinner at the Music Center to benefit LA's BEST, "Benefactors" are being asked to pony up $25,000. For that, they get a table for ten, signage, recognition from the podium and admission for ten to the VIP cocktail reception with Villaraigosa. Cheapskates who only come up with $10,000 lose out on the shout-out and the elite reception. Rix Bradford, the Larchmont Boulevard fundraising firm, is collecting the checks. * In Thursday's Times: On July 1, there will be an 8 a.m. inter-faith service at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, then Villaraigosa will walk to City Hall's south lawn for the 10 a.m. swearing-in ceremony. Also, Daniel Hernandez reports from Villaraigosa's trip to Texas.
Meanwhile: A source close to the Villaraigosa camp, but who I can't vouch for, says there's some grumbling in the staff ranks about how the transition jobs are lining up. That's to be expected. The source says to look for an announcement, possibly Friday, of a structure that has 2-3 deputy chiefs of staff (including Villaraigosa's current chief, Jimmy Blackman) and perhaps a half dozen deputy mayors, at least some of them reporting to Blackman. If Marcus Allen is to get the chief of staff nod, I've also heard there's some concern about his living in far-off northern San Diego County. But then, he has managed to do the job for Controller Laura Chick (and no, for those who are asking, he's not the football hall of famer and Heisman Trophy winner.)
Also at City Hall: State auditors have started reviewing the rapid increase in use of outside lawyers by City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, the Daily News reports. Delgadillo blocked efforts by Chick to do the audit.