City of Bell's holdout on public record requests cost residents millions!

Like many cities that have something to hide the City of Bell operated on a "need to know basis" and they felt the people did not need to know. Related news article: Salary scandal tied to lack of oversight from community newspaper http://bit.ly/agtQJM

Read more at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bell-documents-20100803,0,7427441.story

Vist the Sierra Madre Tattler at: http://sierramadretattler.blogspot.com/

Press Release:

Brown Subpoenas City of Bell for Records Related to Excessive Public Official Salaries
LOS ANGELES - Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today subpoenaed hundreds of employment, salary, and contract records from the City of Bell and its top officials as part of an investigation to determine whether civil or criminal action should be taken against city leaders whose secretive salaries in one case rose to almost $800,000 a year.

Brown told a news conference at his downtown Los Angeles state office today that he was making public the issuance of the subpoenas both to assure the residents of Bell and the people of California that state government is taking fast, effective action to crack down on any possible wrongdoing, and also to warn officials in other California cities that no public officials will be allowed to carry out similar schemes.

"These outrageous pay practices are an insult to the hard-working people of Bell and have provoked righteous indignation in California and even across the country," Brown said. "I'm determined to get to the bottom of these exorbitant payouts and protect the state's pension system against such abuses; today's subpoenas are an important step in that process."

Brown gave city officials an expedited schedule to turn over documents to state investigators, demanding within 48 hours production of the critically important employment contracts.

Brown said his department's investigation is looking at all possible violations of law by Bell officials, including civil and criminal sanctions. Brown launched his state probe after The Los Angeles Times revealed the $787,637 salary of City Manager Robert Rizzo and found that the Bell police chief was making 50 percent more than the police chief of Los Angeles.

The newspaper reported that Rizzo's salary made him possibly the highest-paid city manager in the country. Police Chief Randy Adams was paid $457,000 a year, and Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia was paid $376,288. The three resigned on Friday.

Four Bell city council members, including the mayor, are paid nearly $100,000 for their part-time jobs. In 2005, a state law limited salaries for city council members in general law cities. The newspaper reported that in the same year, Bell engineered a special election to convert to a charter city, the only item on the ballot that year. Since then, council members' salaries have increased dramatically.

Bell, in southeast Los Angeles County, according to the 2000 census, has a population of 36,624 that includes a high percentage of low-income residents. Hundreds of citizens marched through city streets yesterday to demand the resignation of the mayor and other council members.

Brown's probe will examine whether any illegality, self-dealing, or other improper activity occurred in Bell, and whether any changes in California law are necessary to prevent similar abuses in the future.

"We will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into how these unprecedented salaries were awarded to public servants," Brown said.

Brown said his office will also review salaries in other local jurisdictions around the state to determine whether similar abuses might be occurring.

The overall investigation is being conducted jointly with CalPERS, the state public employee pension fund, which has responsibility for administering the state pension system.

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[DeuceMP2]

@SavedHealed Hey look I'm responding again shithead.

[DeuceMP2]

@SavedHealed people protest in mexico all the time. As well as honduras, El salvador, you name it. Watch the news sometime. Expand your horizons so you dont look so misinformed

[DeuceMP2]

@SavedHealed How the hell do you know that the man in the video is not a U.S. citizen? How do you know that he is not a taxpayer that was fucked over by this corrupt system like you were? Obviously you dont know the man at all or you wouldnt be saying the things you've said. You sound like a complete racist douche saying he should go back to his country. He probably already is in his country. Doesnt say anywhere one has to speak English to be a citizen.

[DeuceMP2]

@SavedHealed do you live in Bell? Bet you dont. Now shut the fuck up.

[DeuceMP2]

@SavedHealed shut the fuck up moron.

[hpcwsd]

Google ? my foot ! It was the RESIDENTS of Bell, California that was the catylyst for the Egyptian Revolt !!!!

[BillionareMan16]

its funny what the guy is saying wearing a xflip shirt on 2:54

[MattyTheMole]

Well Rizzo looks like your eyes are blood shot, your belly is too full, and your dick is sore. When ever I see a fat succesful professional I point my finger and scream selfish!

[blythecaliforniatv]

BLYTHE, Calif – A silent, steely sentinel in the shape of Lt. J.B Gray ($172,000) stood sentry at the entrance to the City Hall Chambers this past Tuesday. There was however, little he could do to protect City Manager David Lane ($241,969), Police Chief Steve Smith ($187,909) nor Public Works Director Jim Rodkey ($143,968) from the wrath of three Council Members intent on putting a stop to their enjoyment of incessant three-day weekends for over the past year.

[alltvisanimated]

1.6 million dollars is how much the State of Connecticut pays it's highest paid public employee. He is the basketball coach at the University of Connecticut, Jim Calhoun. That's right the basketball coach makes more than the Governor of the state Jodi Rell and the President of the United States Barak Obama COMBINED. If that is not well organized crime than I do not know what is.