Posted on 07/19/2010 6:44:21 PM PDT by Spktyr
One of the poorest cities in Los Angeles County has come under public scrutiny for paying its top officials some of the highest salaries in the nation, including almost $800,000 annually for its city manager.
The city of Bell pays Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo $787,637 annually, and also pays police Chief Randy Adams $457,000 a year, about 50 percent more than Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck or Sheriff Lee Baca make, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia is paid $376,288 annually, which is more than most city managers are paid. Rizzo, who has run Bells day-to-day civic affairs since 1993, was unapologetic about his salary, The Times reported.
If thats a number people choke on, maybe Im in the wrong business, Rizzo said. I could go into private business and make that money. This council has compensated me for the job Ive done.
Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez defended the salaries, and he and other City Council members told the newspaper that their city was near bankruptcy when Rizzo came aboard. Since then, they said, he has put Bell on sound financial footing, with its general fund nearly tripling to about $15 million.
Bell made headlines in recent weeks when the city of 37,000 agreed to take over operations of the neighboring city of Maywood, which fired most of its employees and disbanded its police department when it could not obtain insurance.
The salaries do not appear to violate any laws, but an investigation is being conducted, according to Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office.
Dave Demerjian, head of the offices Public Integrity Division said state law governs how much city council members can be paid, but not the amounts that council members decide to pay administrators.
The DAs office is investigating Bell over the hefty compensation amounts of its City Council members, about $100,000 a year for part-time positions. Normally, council members in a city the size of Bell would be paid about $400 a month, Demerjian said. The council has increased its compensation by paying members for serving on a variety of city agencies, and each member is paid $7,873 per month for sitting on the boards.
Things are about to get really rational all over the country, really soon.
city managers are overpaid.
You have nailed it spot on.
What a salary like that must do to pension benefits (and contributions by the city) has to be frightening. On the other hand, the article does not mention his age, maybe his pension will not be there when he gets to retirement (as in Illinois) so, it may be phantom concern. Still, that’s pile of dough.
Heavens above, I hope you’re right.
I'm very, very afraid that you're right. One things for sure, though. Whether you're right or wrong things are going to get very ugly either way.
L
It reminds me of a certain school district. The district is a mess. So, the board must hire a Superintendent. No one in his right mind wants the job. But the district needs someone anyway. In order to get someone, they have to have a huge salary and perks to entice applicants. The board knows that any given applicant is only going to stay a while, then will bug out. Then the process begins again.
Definite telecommute or flex-time material.
They have a mayor and a city manager?? For 37,000 people? What does the mayor do? Ok, the mayor manages the city manager. I can see that ....but ...
If this is true then maybe he's worth it.
If thats a number people choke on, maybe Im in the wrong business, Rizzo said. I could go into private business and make that money. This council has compensated me for the job Ive done.
This city hack has a pretty high opinion of himself. I wonder what private sector employer would pay this clown $800,000 per annum. What value does he bring to the table?
Then do it, leech...
(censored)in' A.
Yes Cal voters are the classic example of voting for a bigger trough so that more pigs can feast. And don’t get me starting on environmental laws.
Bell Ca. to dust off those pitchforks!!!!
Word in the LA Times is the city manager will be fired tonight at the city council meeting. Now the part-time city council members who make over $100K per year just need to fire the police chief and themselves while they are at it.
Corrupt government at all levels, from the top down...
Long ago, they forgot who they work for.
GOVERNMENT UNIONS
Waaaaaah, he’s talking bad about California! Make him stop!
Waaaaah!
My question is what does he do for the 37,000 citizens for that kind of money ... and where does it come from since the article says it’s one of the poorer places in CA ....
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