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.
Full coverage here.
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