Life is sweet in America

BELL, Calif. — The City Council deliberated into the early hours Friday in a closed session on the fate of three administrators whose huge salaries have sparked outrage in this small blue-collar suburb of Los Angeles.

Councilman Luis Artiga said the panel planned to request their resignations during the private meeting that was called to consider dismissing the officials whose salaries total more than $1.6 million.

The officials include Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo, who earns $787,637 a year — nearly twice the pay of President Barack Obama — for overseeing one of the poorest towns in Los Angeles County.

The others are Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia, who makes $376,288 a year, and Police Chief Randy Adams, whose annual salary of $457,000 is 50 percent more than that of Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck.

All three officials under question have contracts that protect them from being fired without cause. If they refuse to quit, the city might have to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy out their contracts.

Revelations about the pay in Bell has sparked anger in the city of fewer than 40,000 residents. Census figures from 2008 show 17 percent of the population lives in poverty.

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/council-deliberating-fate-of-576337.html

TerryRC wrote:All three officials under question have contracts that protect them from being fired without cause.

That would be nice. This public employee, however, is employed "at will", meaning either party can terminate the contract at any time for no reason.

TerryRC wrote:Really, Unless you hold a position not covered under civil service, your statement is false. Additionally, you cannot be terminated for political reasons. It is a misdeamnor to do so.

The Department of Agriculture is not covered under the Division of Personnel, I believe because the Commissioner is an elected position. That means there are no minimum salaries for a position (such as Biologist I or II), no set standard of living raises or job security. I could work there for the next 15 years and not get a raise unless the Commissioner begs the state legislature of the Governor gives all state employees a raise across the board.

You may imply that I am lying but my employment is indeed at will. They don't need to fire me for political reasons as they can fire me for no reason at all.

Not all public employees have it as sweet as Sam implies.

BELL, Calif. — Residents in this modest blue-collar Los Angeles suburb where one in six lives in poverty were angry: Their city manager was getting paid more than President Barack Obama and the police chief more than the commander of the nearly 13,000-member LAPD.

They demanded and got the manager, the chief and another high-salaried official to resign.

They looked for the culprits and found them in the very people they entrusted to lead their city of 40,000 people. Now, they're campaigning to boot them out of office.

Their mayor and three of their four council members, people they see every day at the grocery store or church, approved the contracts, and put an obscure measure on the ballot that allowed council members to pay themselves any amount of money.

And they did: collecting between $90,000 and $100,000 a year as part-time officials.

"This is America and everything should be transparent," plumber and longtime Bell resident Ralph Macias said.

In Bell, however, not many people really paid attention. The city of mostly small homes is like many American cities and towns: No newspaper covers them regularly, and the citizens spend what little free time they have with family and recreation.

The salaries exploded into public view last week after a Los Angeles Times investigation, based on California Public Records Act requests, showed that the city payroll was bloated with all sorts of six-figure salaries:

— Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo made $787,637 a year, getting a series of raises since being hired in 1993 at $72,000. President Obama makes $400,000.

— Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia made $376,288 a year.

— Police Chief Randy Adams earned $457,000. Hired just last year to oversee a force of fewer than 50 people, he was making 50 percent more than Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck's $307,000.

(read more here) http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/calif-town-outraged-to-577286.html

You may imply that I am lying but my employment is indeed at will. They don't need to fire me for political reasons as they can fire me for no reason at all.

TerryRC wrote:Yes, I'm suggesting you whining and balling and even streaching the truth a bit. If it is so bad, maybe you ought to quit and seek employment elsewhere.

I'm not stretching the truth a bit (also "balling" is slang for fucking - the word you wanted was "bawling"). I'll bite. Where did I stretch the truth? Prove it or apologize.

The reason I bring it up, Willy, is that people think getting a job in the public sector is like winning the lottery. Everybody makes six-figure salaries and has a sinecure position for life. I post my situation to show it isn't so for all.

I'm not complaining. I love my job. I get to study insects AND help protect the crops and forests of our state. I like the farmers and foresters I work with. I live within my salary without complaining, even though I am making less than I was five years ago if you factor in the lack of salary raises and the rate of inflation.
cThe only bad part is that people imply that I am lazy just because I work in public service. Sam has done it, Aaron has done it and you, I believe, have, also. You aren't alone, of course.

TerryRC wrote:
So, what good was the EEOC Laws?

I dunno. They don't keep Willy from refusing to hire or do business with gays.

TerryRC wrote:You should learn to avoid personal attacks - they make you seem ignorant.

TerryRC wrote:Name one personal attack I have made in the past month or so, Aaron.