Where the recession is no problem

At 2.5 square miles and with a population of 36,600, Bell, Calif. — just southeast of Los Angeles — has a per capita income about half that of the United States. Yet it pays its top officials some of the highest salaries in the nation, including nearly $800,000 annually for its city manager, according to a recent Los Angeles Times story.

In addition to the $787,637 salary of Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo, Bell pays Police Chief Randy Adams $457,000 a year.

Top officials have routinely received hefty annual raises in recent years. Mr. Rizzo’s contract calls for 12 percent raises each July, the same as his top deputy, according to documents obtained under the California Public Records Act.

Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez also defended the salaries. “Our city is one of the best in the area. That is the result of the city manager.”

Mr. Hernandez and other council members say the city was near bankruptcy when Mr. Rizzo came aboard 17 years ago. Since then, they said, he has put Bell on sound financial footing, with its general fund tripling to about $15 million.

But the Times reports the district attorney is investigating Bell over the hefty compensation of City Council members — about $100,000 per year for the part-time positions. Although it’s not clear the Council has violated any laws, members have beefed up their monthly pay by an extra $7,873 per month by paying each other to serve on a variety of city agencies, including the Community Redevelopment Agency, the Community Housing Authority, the Planning Commission, the Surplus Property Authority, and the Solid Waste and Recycling Authority.

City records show that on July 31, 2006, four of these agencies met for one minute, each.

Yet we’re supposed to believe they couldn’t find “competent people” for less than $100,000 a year … part time?

Nice work if you can get it.