High salaries of Bell officials spur councilman who makes $155 a week to seek investigation, resignations

 

A Bell city councilman has called for a "completely open and transparent" investigation into the salaries of top executives and his council colleagues, saying if a Times report that Bell officials are among the highest-paid administrators and elected municipal leaders in the nation is true, they should resign immediately.

Councilman Lorenzo Velez, who was appointed to the council in the working-class city in October, also said  he only received $310.62 every two weeks for his work as a councilman, far less than the $100,000 his colleagues collected annually.

The Los Angeles district attorney’s office is investigating the council salaries. Normally, council members in a city the size of Bell would be paid about $400 a month, the D.A.’s office reported.

The Times has reported that Bell, one of the poorest cities in Los Angeles County, pays its top officials some of the highest salaries in the nation, including nearly $800,000 annually for its city manager.

Bell Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo earns nearly twice the salary of President Obama, Police Chief Randy Adams about 50% more than Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck and Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia more than the chief executive for Los Angeles County.

Councilman Velez said he had no idea that the administrators received that level of pay until he read The Times' report. He said he was also unaware his colleagues were apparently earning so much more than he was.

He said resigning would be the “only decent thing” for his colleagues and the top administrators to do.

-- Jeff Gottlieb

INVESTIGATING BELL: A Times Special Report

-Is a city manager worth $800,000?

-Bell residents are not happy about high salaries.

-High salaries fuel anger in Bell

-Bell council members under investigation for $100,000

-Video: Why do Bell officials make so much money? The Times' Jeff Gottlieb explains.

-Bell city manager might be highest paid in nation

Comments

[Dave]

It isn't a private company; I hope the residents of Bell throw the bums out.

[tw]

smart man Lorenzo Velez....get rid of those crooks....kick em' to the curb.

[Lester Freamon]

Follow the money.

[NarNar]

Resigning? How about "jail time." These literally took advantage of their position, and intentionally OVER-paid themselves. "Resigning," is a slap in the face to the people of Bell and justice. Asking them to resign after stealing all that money is welcoming others to come and do what they have done.

They are criminals... treat them like one!

[Ray]

And we wonder why LA is going broke?

[Dave]

Shouldn't this article be titled... Six figure salaries of Bell Officials...

Nice work on the accuracy

[Bell resident C]

He too should resign for going along with it and not knowing.

[sethook]

Is this the point in time when we get the ol' Business 101 speach where it is believed that you have to pay outrageous salaries to keep the best people avaliable working for you? If it works in business/corporate life, it should be true in the government sector.
Of course this could be the time when the citizens of Bell start looking into Charter Amendments and recall procedures. If you want your city back, you will have to fight for it. Don't expect the council to hand it over.

[David]

Velez' demand sounds like an honorable demand on its face, but how could a councilman not have already known the salaries in such a small city? The whole mess smacks of corruption, and I hope the District Attorney has avenues of recourse available to hold these public leeches accountable.

[Mike]

Bell Resident C-- How can he both go along with it and not know about it? Just asking.

[S Bone]

I'm sure they'll all receive six-figure pensions upon their resignation/termination.

[NativeAngeleno]

Where was Lorenzo Velez when these salaries were approved? How can he sit on the City Council and not know what the City's budget is?

[Mary]

The citizens of Bell need to immediately recall the thieves who have taken over their city. The salaries paid to these individuals are outrageous. No matter if residents have limited English speaking skills or no matter how poor, they cannot allow politicians to abuse the city.

[Carmen]

We want justice! Resigning would be a piece of cake for these so-called officials. They need to be thoroughly investigated and punished for taking advantage of the poor working people of the City of Bell.

[RabidinL.A.]

Resignation, restitution to the city, fines, and jail. This is criminal. It will be interesting to see how the L.A. district attorney's office handles this.

[Carmen]

The residents of the City of Bell and any other inviduals who want justice should attend the council meeting scheduled for tonight at 7p.m. at the City of Bell.

[joe]

LOL i grew up in Bell, some 20 years ago. it was corrupt then and it is corrupt now!! only one thing will happen, all the "over paid" officials will resign and get a hefty retirement bonus!!

[Anonymous]

So did Velez's fellow councilmembers and executives have anything to say.
Seems like the only ones "choking" on words are the councilmembers In question, the city adminstrator and the deputy city administrator. I guess $1.1 million for city adminstrators doesn't include on camera interviews and Q&A's with the paper of record. Can we get a public workshop/hearing on city adminstration and fiscal matters. Maybe that's what Spaccia meant by you get what you pay for.

And where's the Chief been? I've been waiting for him to showcase his innovative long-term crime prevention and suppresion plan.

Oh, and the reason Velez didn't know is because a pre-condition to being appointed is

[Richard Thompson]

Embezzlement: the act of dishonestly appropriating assets, usually financial in nature, by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted.

Jail, please.

[Nero's Fiddle]

Fox watching the hen-house and now the chickens have come home to roost.

[David]

The D.A. needs to get involved in this. These money vampires deserve jail time. Make them do the handcuff walk! Just think about it, Mr. D.A., if you serve them jail time, California voters will line up to vote for you!

[ELA DAVE]

The party is over public employees of Bell, especially you Mr. city manager. You will not make $800,000 in the private sector, cause that requires real work.

[Pancho Villa]

Mexican-style politics??

[Eric Eggena]

He's just jealous that this came to light before he got a piece of the pie. Smart move politically yo distance yourself from the other rats on the sinking ship.

[Gaucho420]

Investigation? Isn't the salary total enough to know its abuse of power?

Especially for Bell. I hope this is being reported in the Spanish news.