1.   El Mirage, Avondale and Mesa led the county with the greatest share of affordable new-home sales.

2.   He detects signs of the Chernobyl syndrome in the behavior of Robert L. Citron, the former Orange County, Calif., treasurer who led the county into bankruptcy.

3.   The competition for development and the accompanying tax revenue led counties to build hundreds of miles of roads without fear of interference by the state.

4.   Los Angeles official Gloria Molina recently estimated that the new measure would probably lead her county to bankruptcy unless the state government steps in.