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Remember the recent outcry in Bell, California, after the city’s residents learned how the mayor and council were abusing their authority and lining their own pockets with taxpayers’ money? According to an article in today’s Los Angeles Times, the citizens of Bell now understand that they can retake control of their city government. Sadly, many of the desirable attributes in Bell, in Los Angeles County, and the State of California are lacking in Coeur d’Alene, in Kootenai County, and the State of Idaho.
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People are acting up! It’s incredible to see regular folks stand up at their city council meeting and tell their elected officials what they really think! Have you seen the news clips from the Bell, California meeting? Remember, that’s the small city (the size of CdA) paying it’s City Administrator almost $800,000/year. The news clips, now surfacing, show some bold language from the citizens. Bill wrote a great post about it on this web site a few days ago (http://opencda.com/?s=Bell+California).
What would you say if your city officials were paid more than any other in the state and, in addition, the council still voted to raise your taxes?
The scandal that has erupted in the Los Angeles suburb of Bell, California, (population 38,000) is an example of how predatory, self-serving city officials will loot a city treasury if the townspeople trust them too much and don’t pay attention to what the folks at city hall are doing.
On Thursday night, the city’s Chief Administrative Officer (salary $800K), Police Chief (salary $457K), and Assistant City Manager (salary $376K) resigned after a contentious public meeting in front of irate townspeople. Not surprisingly, the Mayor and City Council initially defended approving the outrageously high salaries, to which the townspeople responded, “Recall them, too!” (more…)
There’s a CDA Press editorial titled “NIC adds to misery with foregone grab.” Sadly, that’s not news today. Nor was it news in 2005 when that editorial ran.
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Here is an interesting article from former California State Senator John Campbell. Regardless of whoever wins in November, we all face big tax issues over the next four years.
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