Bell’s top earners resign as disturbing series of events come to light
The top three Bell officials that received nationwide attention due to shockingly high pay, have resigned. Bell, a low-income city in California, has a median household income of $29,946 and a property tax rate higher than Beverly Hills. According to AOL News, the “residents” voted to become a charter city in 2005 in an election that had 1 percent of the city’s population voting. By becoming a charter city, the cap for officials salaries was lifted, and the city could form its own rules. In 2009, these same city officials were okaying cuts to social services by nearly $600,000 and cuts to public safety services by about $230,000, according to the Los Angeles Times. No one on the city council has resigned at this time, but they all have accepted pay cuts; two of them will now earn a salary of $0.
Richards, T. (2010, July 27). Calif. City Officials’ Fat Salaries Spur Investigation. AOL News.