Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown sues eight top Bell (California) officials

[Hepburn]

Brown launched the investigation after The Times reported that former city administrator Robert Rizzo was earning nearly $800,000 and council members were being paid nearly $100,000 a year for council and agency meetings, some of which met for only one minute.

...snip...

In addition to Rizzo's $787,637 salary, he received additional benefits that boosted his total annual compensation to more than $1.5 million.

...snip...

Bell has about 40,000 residents. It is one of the poorest cities in the county, with a population that is about 90% Latino and 53% foreign-born. Its per-capita income is about half that of the U.S.

...snip...

Other highly compensated employees include Donal O'Callaghan, who was paid nearly $785,000 last year as city administrator and director of light and power, overseeing Vernon's city-owned utility. He now earns $384,000 a year overseeing capital projects for the utility after stepping down July 20 as city administrator.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/09/bell-salary-scandal-jerry-brown-charges.html

What a bunch of disgusting thieves! :mad:

[Hepburn]

1. Thanks for the rec...

...I am VERY glad that Jerry Brown is going after this band of assholes. Talk about fucking over the public!

[Hepburn]

2. More: Rizzo obscured true salary

Former Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo and his wife, Eugenia, in 2007. Rizzo kept much of his large salary secret from the Bell City Council, according to interviews and records obtained by The Times.


Former Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo went to considerable lengths to keep his huge salary secret, including actions that could invalidate his contracts and potentially require him to repay money he received, some experts believe.

According to records and interviews, the city of Bell and Rizzo himself represented his salary as being significantly lower than it was. When one councilman asked Rizzo about his salary last year, the city manager gave him a sum that was less than half the approximately $700,000 Rizzo was actually earning at the time.

The steps Rizzo took that obscured his true pay began in September 2008. At that point, he was already earning about $632,700 a year, making him one of the highest-paid city managers in the nation. That month, Rizzo signed five new contracts that kept his salary the same but changed the way he was paid. Rather than getting his entire salary from his primary job as city manager, he would now be paid in chunks from a variety of city agencies.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bell-rizzo-20100915,0,3960817.story

A friend and I were discussing this the other day and we are aware that a lot of the money went into pension funds and there could be a problem reaching it. Hopefully, criminal fraud will open up these accounts and release the funds back to the citizens of that city.

[driver8]

3. This is great news!

Slimy bastards...

[Hepburn]

5. I have to completely agree with this...

...I hope they get ALL of the funds back...and it sure makes Jerry Brown look good for the November election, the latter being minor in the scheme of things, tho.

:hi:

[CountAllVotes]

4. go get 'em Jerry Brown

:thumbsup:

:dem: :kick: & recommend!!

[Hepburn]

6. Thanks for the KnR...n/t

[CountAllVotes]

8. happy to do it!!

JERRY BROWN FOR GOVERNOR!!

:kick:

[Ignis]

7. K&R. Keep it up, soon-to-be-governor Brown!

:patriot: