Should a city manager from one of Los Angeles County's poorest cities earn twice as much as President Obama?
Residents from the working-class town of Bell erupted in outrage after learning that their city pays its officials some of the highest local-government salaries in the nation, including City Manager Robert Rizzo who takes home nearly $800,000 per year.
Rizzo
has resigned, as have some of Bell's other top-earning government
officials. But on Monday evening frustrated residents gathered at a
city council meeting to demand more resignations and an end to what
they regard as widespread corruption.
In addition to disgust at the current leadership , many residents denounced the increasing cost and dwindling value of government services. Bell's median income is about $30,000 per year, and yet taxes, fees and regulations are among the most punishing in one of the nation's most punitive counties.
Reason.tv spoke with protesters furious with high taxes, cronyism, and inflated public-sector compensation.
Approximately 3 minutes. Produced by Ted Balaker and Tim Cavanaugh, who also hosts. Camera by Zach Weissmueller and Sam Corcos. Edited by Weissmueller.
Reason on Facebook
Reason on Twitter
Reason on YouTube
Reason RSS
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason at any time.
|7.29.10 @ 2:32PM|#
Cue MNG and Tony to condemn these people for blaming their problems on the janitor.
¢|7.29.10 @ 2:35PM|#
Should a city manager from one of Los Angeles County's poorest cities earn twice as much as President Obama?
Yes. Minimum wage.
|7.29.10 @ 2:50PM|#
Nice to see that they are turning their ire on the Council that approved these pay packages.
It sounds like some people have figured out that, even they rent, they are still paying the property taxes that got sucked into this kleptocracy.
Virginia|7.29.10 @ 3:29PM|#
This warms my cold black heart.
Upgrayyed|7.29.10 @ 4:25PM|#
Fucking teabaggers.
|7.29.10 @ 4:44PM|#
Its "rat-bagging teafuckers".
Try to keep up.
silent v|7.29.10 @ 4:41PM|#
Cristina Garcia is the Hispanic Kerry Howley.
kilroy|7.29.10 @ 5:34PM|#
Is this supposed to stand-in for the California meltdown collection? Someone's asleep at the switch at Reason.
Paul|7.29.10 @ 6:28PM|#
But they're earning way more in their new ventures than they were at the City of Bell. Sacrifice NO MORE, Rizzo! Now you'll earn what you so greatly deserve, and were denied during your years of service to the city of Bell.
LarryA|7.30.10 @ 12:04AM|#
I wonder how many of these totally outraged citizens attended any city budget meetings in the last ten years.
Upgrayyed|7.30.10 @ 10:10AM|#
A number close to i
Ernie the Bear|8.1.10 @ 12:24AM|#
Can they sell the renaming rights to Taco Bell? Seems like an easy fit, just waiting to happen.