$100,000 salaries for council members in small town of Bell: Is that a crime?

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office is investigating why city council members in the small, working-class city of Bell are paid nearly $100,000 a year for a part-time job.

Bell is in the news because it has agreed to take over most city operations for neighboring Maywood, which announced it will lay off all its employees on July 1.

Public Integrity Division prosecutors said a review of Bell city records showed that council members each received $8,083.25 per month. Prosecutors say that under state law and based on population, part-time council members in small cities should be paid a $400 monthly stipend (council members in Maywood earn about $300 a month). Prosecutors have asked the city for an explanation.

Bell officials say the D.A. office's numbers are misleading because they include the cost of medical insurance, retirement and other benefits, but they also defend the compensation.

"The average income for a person in our area is $32,000 and $38,000 a year," Mayor Oscar Hernandez told The Times' Jeff Gottlieb and Ruben Vives. "In a troubled city, the city council should get paid a little more."

What do you think? Share your views below.

Comments

[Alex Figueroa]

That city is sooooo crooked !!!! The Mayor of Bell states that in a roubled city they should get paid a little more.... Agreed a little more is possibly 15% - 20% increase in salary.... not 263% increase.... thats just plain wrong and you can see real problems in that city... part time work for $100k.... where do i sign up....

[anthony]

$100,000 is a "little" more than $38,000.....really!!??

[Jack]

These are the reasons why CA is in debt. People like to think its illegal aliens, social programs, etc..
CA has too much corruption

[Ken]

Government is a nice club to be in.
I wish I knew when I had to pick a career

[gecko]

That is the problem with all these people in government. They believe that they are worth more than they actually are. They chose to be in the public service sector. Then they are in power to decide how much they are worth.

But even if their position is "worth" a lot, it does not mean they should be paid that way. They claim to be running for office because they want to be "of service" and "help people". Do it for that reason alone! Not because of any other reason.

That is what happened to the entire public service sector. All they want is compensation. Walk into a DMV, and you can see they couldn't care less if the line is 10 person deep or 1000 people deep. They will just walk around and xerox paperwork, chat about a worthless decision to be made, etc.

In the same scenario with a private business, if I had 1000 people trying to "pay" me money, I would find a better way to solve the problem since they were my customers. In the government sector, dmv included, we are the problem that is gonna keep them from planning their lunch hour.

I know for a fact, because I worked in the public sector for 3 years after graduating from graduate school. I could not respect myself and knew that my mechanical engineering degrees would soon be worthless. I left.

What can we do about this? Not sure since the public sector is a union. Isn't it a tragedy that the public sector is suppose to be servicing the people. Instead, they are a bunch of protectionist, just out to do enough to get by.

Yes, I firmly believe that. If you are from public sector, ask yourself if you don't see so much wasted money on your fellow co-workers. Ask yourself if what you do is really worth $40/hour before benefits.

[Vicky]

And this is why id rather live in the countryside than a city

[Miriam]

These people have been taking advantage of there positions for years!!! its time for them to pay the price and go to prison along with all there family members that knew about everything and even got special treatment for for being a family member......! These people would go to lakers game along with there whole family and would not even pay a dime because the city would pay for it. Well no wonder Hernandez will always donate homes to improve neighborhood parks... he would do it just look good... but he really wouldn't donate its more like giving back from all that money he jacked!!

[Cruz]

I, for one, believe that if people want to be in government and serve "the public good", if they want to be good citizens and participate int the process by being a part of government, then they should be willing to do it for minimum compensation. The job of governance is not supposed to be a job that makes you wealthy, it's a job that one is supposed to take on because they believe in the public good, because they believe that the role of government is to serve. Mother Theresa did far more good for humanity than anyone on this council has or will ever do and she wasn't paid nearly as much. She served because of principle. Paid a "little" more? Are you kidding me??

[lydia]

richard its not the money, they get under table favors u no nothing about get your head out of the sand even I would want that job for free

[Mike]

Imagine that politicians who are supposedly working for the people and the betterment of the community are having to justify the $100k salary. Most politicians are crooks with hidden agendas which looks like the case in this situation.

Get paid a little more than what? 2,020% more seems a little excessive

[The Last Straw]

Bunch of crooks. No wonder the city is going down the tubes.

[Elliott Smith]

And one wonders why politicians are continually referred to as liars and crooks. That which we as voters look for is who lies the least.

[bell resident]

a troubled city? hes gotta be kidding me. the city is not troubled. its nicer than its neighbors. has a lower crime index. code enforcement patrol the streets daily (including sundays). most homes DONT have bars on their windows. it is not troubled. if it were i could see the justification for a higher than normal salary (1 k a month). if they had the serious headaches of gangs, drugs, grafitti, prostitution, murder, etc etc. i could see justifying a higher salary to deal with these problems. but that is just not the case.

bell overall is like an urban mayberry. diverse. there is a very present muslim population. cuban population. south american population. its not just mexicans. there are nice NEW and renovated parks. a great youth sports program. a family friendly xmas parade. world famous restaurants (ok, only one). it has lots of ammenities.

and the no overnight parking is great! its a city of single family residences. theoretically you should be able to park all your cars in your driveway. in cities like HP and maywood (both denser in population) you have awful parking situations. not here. its a good way to ensure population control. no 10 people per 2 bedroom home. bell is a great place.

this is fishy tho. i hope it gets thouroughly investigated. till then i will withhold any nasty comment. id rather not sound ignorant like MANY MANY of the above posters.

[Pelon]

Government officials should ask the Bell city council members about the $3 million purchase of the small business that had been around for a couple decades on the corner of Atlantic and Gage. Anyone who grew up in Bell remembers that hardware store. I believe that the estimated worth of that same property is $400, 000. $3 million, and that lot is still empty! Where exactly did that money come from and where did it go? For the past several years, the pockets of Bell council members have gotten fat, really fat. I have so much dirt on them, but hey, it's not my job to bring them down.

[JKale]

If it's a troubled city, the city counsel should get paid LESS because they obviously aren't doing their jobs properly!!!!

[James]

These people need to give the money back. Serve the community, don't expect to get rich off taxpayers.

[Need a job]

Is it a disgrace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Until we see jail time for this type of abuse, this will just keep getting swept under the rug.

[upset city worker]

i think this is wrong we are lossing our jobs july 1, 2010 and people like this get paid more - he does not even live in the city of bell, this is just wrong - he has to go.

[TESSA]

This is such a rip off. You sit on your but and get paid $100,000.00. That is one of the main reasons why other people get laid off.What ever happen to a pay cut so that others can keep their jobs???????

[Uber]

The Los Angeles City Council members voted themselves raises everytime the judges get raises so it never comes up about there money. (PURE PUKES) LONG LIVE VILLA and free tickets. Maybe his offical duty is putting condoms in the rest rooms. Just incase he finds a nice news lady or man

[Jose]

Yeah why not? Non-profit salaries and benefits exceed $100,000 in many many cases.

And that's for "charity".

[Joe Mama Bush]

please note the names and the culture.

[DENIS]

Well, the LA City Council Members are paid nearly $180K plus fringes and a generous expense account for vehicles etc... So why should Maywood be any different? Public service is riff with corruption, greed - all cloaked under the public service heading. When in fact, much of today's politicians are all about "Self-serving" themselves to kickbacks, favors, Laker's tickets, lucrative contracts to extended family members and friends who all engage in quid pro quo.

[Martinno]

This isn't an issue of Democrats vs. Republicans. It's an issue of Right vs. Wrong. These Council members were voted into office by the residents of Bell, who believed that they would help better their community, not rob it blind. Cities like Pomona with a larger population, who also have their fair share of problems, such as gangs, etc., don't pay their electeds nearly as much as Bell.

You should be ashamed of yourselves, Mayor and City Council. You were voted in to serve the community not take advantage of it.

[Fred E]

get a recall on all person that are getting this much money and the people that new about it and put in NEW members