If you wonder how a small city with a population of around 36,000 residents (2000 census) can sit back for years and let the city administrators grant themselves outrageous salaries in the hundred of thousands of dollars, the answer is two words: voter apathy.

When they became a charter city in a special election in 2005 less than 400 voters turned out. There was no caps on salaries, and the attitude was "get all you can while the getting is good." And did they ever. The city manager raised himself up to around $800,000 per year with an obscene pension. The police chief decided he was worth at least a measly $470,000 plus pension and part time city council persons valued their precious time at around $100,000 per year.

At the same time, one policeman being interviewed said they had not received a raise in three years. Reason given: "Wasn't any money for raises." Wonder why?

Bell is considered a small (2.5 square miles) blue collar town with a median income of around $35,000 per year. The local high school is 98% Hispanic. The county of Los Angeles Fire Department provides fire protection (can you imagine the amount of salaries if Bell had their own fire department). There is no local newspaper, and many council meetings were secretive (perhaps in violation of the sunshine law) which may come out later.

What is so ironic and puzzles me is how did they end up with a surplus budget of $22 million? The city parks, playgrounds and other services are in better shape than most cities, and it actually took a reporter from the LA Times to bring attention to the unbelievable salaries.

I have my own opinion. They may have been smart enough to hire some top grant writers. The best are in California. (I worked with some years ago in Fresno). Perhaps they were successful in acquiring more than their share of California's generous entitlement programs or hitting it lucky with investments in the bond and/or stock market (seems unlikely). However, it will all come out soon enough.

This has given Attorney General Jerry Brown the "perfect storm scenario" he needs to revive his lackluster campaign for the governorship again. He has zeroed in on the city of Bell, and the heads are going to roll.

What happened in Bell is a prime casebook example of what can happen in any city, county, state and federal government if your mindset is that of being a servant to the politicians instead of the politicians serving you and I. We must keep the fire under their feet. As soon as we let up, they will return to the same old political trick bag unfortunately.

Bill Watkins
watkins238@aol.com

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For those who do not watch much news I'm glad someone told you about this. This type of stuff goes on all over this country because of Apathetic Voters.

A good example why the city of Chattanooga registered voters need to rush to sign and send in the Recall Mayor Littlefield form. Send a message to these people to remind them who they work for. They are refusing to listen thus far. Our Mayor and Co. (City Council) continue on the same road regardless of our objections.

The same should apply to the County officials. I don't know enough about Ramsey's challenger--yet, but is it time for someone else to have the opportunity? Too bad Knowles does not have a good challenger. The Swafford challengers gives us the opportunity to make a long awaited change.

Get out and vote,

Barbara Yochum