Bell, Calif.’s overpaid ex-officials demand their pensions
Eight officials from Bell, Calif., who've been charged with looting $5.5 million from the small city by engineering themselves outrageously high taxpayer-funded salaries. The former city manager, third from the left on the bottom, was being paid $787,000 per year. | AP Photo
Remember the giant scandal in tiny Bell, Calif., that The Los Angeles Times broke the story on last year? Well, there’s a sequel.
The relatively poor city of 37,000 is seeking to terminate the pension benefits of its, way way overpaid ex-employees. And the ex-employees are suing.
From Talking Points Memo:
[Luis] Ramirez and [Annette] Peretz resigned from their posts as Deputy Engineer and director of community services in October, 2010, after revelations that public officials in the city were inflating their salaries with tax dollars. Luis Ramirez was being paid $247,573 a year at the time of his retirement, and Peretz was banking $273,542. Neither has been charged in connection with the scandal.
Former assistant city manager Angela Spaccia, who was making around $376,000 a year, and former Bell city manager Robert Rizzo, whose salary amounted to almost $800,000, have also sued the city for back pay and benefits. Both have been charged with fraud and misappropriation of public funds.
Fyi, the overpaid employees who haven’t been charged with any crimes have a good shot at prevailing. This issue has been litigated fairly extensively over the years; the U.S. Supreme Court in the past has cited the contracts clause of the U.S. Constitution in ruling you can’t take away benefits that have already been promised.
November 30, 2011 - 5:22 PM
Wait a minute!
$247,573 does not put Luis Ramirez in the evil top 1%. Remember, he is part of the 99% who work hard and are getting screwed by the top 1%. On top of that, public servants like Mr. Ramirez are as pure as the driven snow. Unlike hedge fund managers,they don’t care about getting rich. They only want to serve the public good.
I will not put up with Dan trashing the right for public employees like Mr. Ramirez to get the pension they have earned. Wisconsin teachers and Ohio firefighters deserve the same pension. If it bankrupts the country,no big deal. Just blame the 1%.
Don’t worry terps. The Roberts court will uphold this ripoff.
EARNED terps??
Surely you jest?
Bonnie and Clyde did far more
to deserve theirs..I mean
they only robbed at the going rates.
Yet another case that proves that the way they write laws and policy favor those with wealth, power or friends in high places or Heaven help us, all of the above. This is is unconscionable. But what the hell else is new?