The next steps after recall in Bell are littered with challenges. And hanging over every decision the council and mayor make is the pall of previous corruption and scandal.
Yet, the city continues to work towards a better financial future, including trying to find ways to make the alleged perpetrators of the fraud pay from their own special accounts.
Robert Rizzo and his assistant set themselves up with an exclusive retirement account that would pay them their inordinate pensions. Right now, that account contains about $4.5 million, which could do much to supplement the city’s budget of $13 million.
From KPPC 89.3FM: The mayor of Bell said today he and other city officials are working with lawyers to try to recoup $4.5 million that was set aside as a special pension fund by former Bell City Administrator Robert Rizzo and his top aide.
The new mayor of Bell Ali Saleh said the fund could provide a potential lifeline to a city on the brink of insolvency.
Saleh has been in the job for a couple weeks and is trying to fix the city’s budget in the wake of a corruption scandal. Eight former Bell officials face charges. Read the full article here.
