Two Bell, CA Officials Resign After Salary Scandal, Third Ta
Two city officials in Bell, California have stepped down from their posts, and another has agreed to take a 61 percent pay cut the Los Angeles Times reports, following a salary inflation scandal that led to the arrest of eight city officials in September.
The officials are accused of using public funds to inflate their salaries, some making up to $96,000 a year for part-time elected positions -- 20 times the national average. Former City Manager Robert Rizzo banked nearly $800,000 a year.
According to Ruben Vives of the Times:
The city's director of administrative services, Lourdes Garcia, who was making $422,707 a year, has agreed to take a 61% pay cut, bringing her compensation in salary and benefits to $165,000 a year, city officials said.
Deputy Engineer Luis Ramirez, who was being paid $247,573 a year, and Annette Peretz, the director of community services who was earning $273,542, have retired, Carrillo said. Neither received a severance package, he added.
Assistant City Administrator Angela Spaccia, Police Chief Randy Adams, and Rizzo have also resigned, while four City Council officials have taken a 90% pay cut.
Rizzo's troubles haven't ended with his resignation, though: This morning local news station KTLA found that Rizzo's house had been vandalized with toilet paper, just days after he posted $2 million in bail.
Rizzo, Ramirez, Spaccia, and five others who were arrested in connection with the alleged salary inflation and fraud, are scheduled to be arraigned October 21.