For Whom The Bell Tolls
Depending on your age, the title connotes a Hemingway novel or a song by Metallica. For the 37,000 residents of Bell, California, it is a song of victory.
Most stories about fraud and corruption begin with men in suits. Shady bankers and investment fund promoters. In this tiny blue collar California town, it begins with corrupt politicians.
The L.A. County District Attorney has arrested much of Bell's city government. Why? Fraud. The DA says that these officials bilked taxpayers out of $5.5 million.
That sounds like a lot of money for a small town and is. Instead of simply embezzling the money, city officials are accused of conspiring to pay themselves outrageous salaries and then hide their misdeeds from voters. If the salaries were not enough, at least one official simply "loaned" himself additional monies from city coffers.
How high were the salaries? The city manager earned $1.1 million per year. The part-time city council members - $96,000 to $110,000 per year. And the police chief, a paltry $457,000.
In addition to the criminal charges, the state has brought a civil suit to recover the pay, loans and benefits.
How the corrupt politicians kept this from residents is puzzling. Normally, a criminal conspiracy includes just a few people. To make this scheme work, however, virtually every city official had to be in the cover up. Apaprently they were - for now, Bell is left with one sitting council member.
The corruption extends well beyond the cit council. Many city employees were also involved. Like the city manager and police chief who were paid far more than their counterparts in any U.S. city.
Apparently, the city manager did not quite earn enough, however. In addition to his already huge salary, he is accused of writing and signing his own employment contract designed to pay himself even more and with taking "loans" from city coffers. With benefits, the manager received approximately $1.5 million per year, far more than the President of the United States or of any U.S.city administrator.
Whether or not the beleaugered officials will see a jail cell remains to be seen. Even if they are convicted, state officials will likely have a tough time recovering the millions that were paid in salaries.
Unfortunately, taxpayers are left footing the bill for now. Working class, blue collar taxpayers. Census data shows the average household wage in Bell at under $30,000 per year.
All this in a city that proudly declares in its motto: "Bell believes in promoting a healthy, balanced and moral lifestyle."
Most stories about fraud and corruption begin with men in suits. Shady bankers and investment fund promoters. In this tiny blue collar California town, it begins with corrupt politicians.
The L.A. County District Attorney has arrested much of Bell's city government. Why? Fraud. The DA says that these officials bilked taxpayers out of $5.5 million.
That sounds like a lot of money for a small town and is. Instead of simply embezzling the money, city officials are accused of conspiring to pay themselves outrageous salaries and then hide their misdeeds from voters. If the salaries were not enough, at least one official simply "loaned" himself additional monies from city coffers.
How high were the salaries? The city manager earned $1.1 million per year. The part-time city council members - $96,000 to $110,000 per year. And the police chief, a paltry $457,000.
In addition to the criminal charges, the state has brought a civil suit to recover the pay, loans and benefits.
How the corrupt politicians kept this from residents is puzzling. Normally, a criminal conspiracy includes just a few people. To make this scheme work, however, virtually every city official had to be in the cover up. Apaprently they were - for now, Bell is left with one sitting council member.
The corruption extends well beyond the cit council. Many city employees were also involved. Like the city manager and police chief who were paid far more than their counterparts in any U.S. city.
Apparently, the city manager did not quite earn enough, however. In addition to his already huge salary, he is accused of writing and signing his own employment contract designed to pay himself even more and with taking "loans" from city coffers. With benefits, the manager received approximately $1.5 million per year, far more than the President of the United States or of any U.S.city administrator.
Whether or not the beleaugered officials will see a jail cell remains to be seen. Even if they are convicted, state officials will likely have a tough time recovering the millions that were paid in salaries.
Unfortunately, taxpayers are left footing the bill for now. Working class, blue collar taxpayers. Census data shows the average household wage in Bell at under $30,000 per year.
All this in a city that proudly declares in its motto: "Bell believes in promoting a healthy, balanced and moral lifestyle."