Horrendously Overpaid Town Administrators Step Down but Secure Handsome Pensions

The three highest paid administrators in Bell, California, whose high six-figure salaries attracted an angry town mob outside of Los Angeles have resigned. Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo, paid $787,637, Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia, paid $376,288, and Police Chief Randy Adams, paid $457,000, are stepping down in response to a screaming town mob who individual income averages $24,000 annually. 

However, their resignations will not end the looting, as they will all receive very hefty pensions. Rizzo would be entitled to a state pension of more than $650,000 a year for life, which would make him, at 56, the highest-paid retiree in the California pension system. Adams is eligible for $411,000 a year while Spaccia, 51, could retain close to $250,000 a year when she reaches age 55.

To make matters worse, the meeting, held behind closed doors by the town council and mayor, did not address the overpayment of the five town council members paid close to $100,000 annually for part-time work. In defense of council pay, the mayor said, "We work a lot. I work with my community every day." A council member added, "[We] are on call around the clock, and it is not uncommon for [us] to take calls in the middle of the night from people reporting problems with city services."

Luckily, the county district attorney's office is investigating to determine if the high salaries for the council members violate any state laws. Also, the town has launched an investigation in conjunction with the state's public employee retirement agency into pension and related benefits for Bell's civic leaders. Let's hope they can prevent the massive pensions from being paid to these thieves who looted this town for almost two decades. Of course, knowing the California judicial system, they will keep their pensions.

Residents En Fuego over California Official's $800,000 Salary

Tempers flared last night at a meeting of one of the poorest municipalities in Los Angeles County. Why? Its residents, who average $25,000 annually, discovered their city administrator earns a salary of almost $800,000, as reported in the Los Angeles Times on July 15. Bell, the city of 38,000, which is more aptly described as a town, is mostly Hispanic as is its mayor, Oscar Hernandez, who had no answer for the shouting crowd.  

Apparently, Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo earns $787,637, with annual 12% raises. That's not all. Bell's Police Chief makes $457,000, which is more than the police chief of Los Angeles or New York. Even Bell's council members earn close to $100,000 for part-time work.

Hilariously, Bell's Police Chief said that he was brought in to end corruption in the police department as some of its former officers were serving time in prison. I wonder how much money they stole from the city?  More than $500,000? 

Hernandez stupidly answered the Los Angeles Times' inquiry and defended the salaries saying that, “Our streets are cleaner, we have lovely parks, better lighting throughout the area, our community is better. These things just don’t happen, they happen because he had a vision and made it happen.” I wonder how many votes Hernandez will received in the town's next election?

More importantly, in a state with such critically serious deficits, I wonder who will have the gonads to root out corruption in every Californian town and reduce the massive amount of bureaucracy and entitlements necessary to stave off a statewide bankruptcy?