Bell City Council Officials: October 2010

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Bell City Council Officials: October 2010

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Eight Bell Officials Plead Not Guilty To Inflating Salaries With Tax Dollars

Jillian Rayfield | October 21, 2010, 6:09PM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

Eight former and current officials from Bell, California pleaded not guilty today to charges that they used public funds to inflate their salaries for part-time elected positions.

Some of the officials, who were arrested in September, made up to $96,000 a year for part-time jobs -- 20 times the national average. Former City Manager Robert Rizzo banked nearly $800,000 a year.

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Topics: Bell City Council Officials, Bell, CA, California, Robert Rizzo

Two Bell, CA Officials Resign After Salary Scandal, Third Takes Pay Cut

Jillian Rayfield | October 11, 2010, 4:49PM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

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.

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Topics: Bell City Council Officials, Bell, CA, Jerry Brown, Robert Rizzo, Steve Cooley

California

AG Pushes For Court-Appointed Monitor For CA City Following Salary Scandal

Jillian Rayfield | October 6, 2010, 10:59AM

Bell, CA Officials George Cole, Robert Rizzo, Pier'Angela Spaccia, Victor Bello, George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo, Oscar Hernandez, and Luis Artiga

California Attorney General Jerry Brown (D) has called for a court-appointed monitor to have "complete and unfettered access to all matters relating to the City" of Bell, following a salary inflation scandal that resulted in the arrest of eight city officials last month.

In a September 30 letter, Brown asked that the monitor investigate "fraud, dishonesty, incompetence, misconduct, mismanagement, or any irregularity" in the city government, according to the Los Angeles Times.