Bell Lackawanna?

[andreahaxton]

Hmmmm.........
"Do ya wanna--come to "Lack"awanna....."

Bell, California: The Most Corrupt Town in America
Bell, California: little town, big problems. Eight city officials were arrested there yesterday, including city council members, the city manager, and the mayor, whose door was battered down by the police. The worst part? It wasn't a surprise.

Ever since the LAT broke the story earlier this summer of Bell's outrageous salaries for city officials (Sample: City manager Robert Rizzo was earning $787,000, for managing a city of less than 40,000 people), everyone's been wondering when the hammer would finally come down. Bell somehow managed to get more and more shocking as more of its city government was investigated—it wasn't just a few bad apples enriching themselves at the public till, it was almost all the apples. The city council members; the police chief; from top to bottom, the city paid its officials some of the highest salaries in America. It's a good illustration of what can happen when people have the power to appoint those who will set their salaries. (We're looking at you, corporate "compensation committees"). One councilman, Lorenzo Velez, received about an $8,000 per year salary; the rest of his colleagues paid themselves nearly $100K per year.

Good riddance to all of them, and may they serve as an example to every elected official in America, from jail. The fun part: those arrested yesterday are technically still in charge, according to the LAT. "Unless the four charged council members are convicted of felonies, removed from office by recall, or resign, they will remain the elected leaders of Bell, officials said."

What we need are term limits, followed by mandatory public floggings upon completion of said terms.


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FYI.......It is not so much their salaries per se, in "Lack"awanna BUT all the other bolony that is depleting the Lackawanna City Budget. Did someone say normans folly on Martin Road?

Yes it is legal to receive both a local and state retirement incentive,go to the NYS Comptroller web page to review mandates,....... BUT.......!

"LACK"awanna is the ONLY local municipality offering a $15,000 retirement incentive--ON TOP of the NYS retirement incentive offered since June 2010.

.......The "CITY" infrastucture is falling apart and why should the tax payers subsidize retirements to people WHO WERE GOING TO RETIRE ANYWAY? This is a different time and citizens are struggling daily to keep a roof over their head! WHY-WHY-WHY?



How much is in the FUND BALANCE, Normie?

[Dougles]

So who in Lack makes $787,000 a year?

[andreahaxton]

I did not say they have exorbitant salaries-----it is all the.....




Says
California's Bell Used as `Cash Drawer,' State Controller After Audit
By Christopher Palmeri - Sep 22, 2010 5:55 PM ET

[andreahaxton]

[andreahaxton]

Municipalities: 2010 Retirement Incentive Program for NYSERS Participants (6/10)


On June 2, 2010, Governor David A. Paterson signed Chapter 105 of the Laws of New York, 2010, creating a temporary retirement incentive (the "Incentive Program") applicable to municipalities who participate in the New York State Employee Retirement System (the "Retirement System"). The Incentive Program is designed to reduce budgetary pressures by eliminating government positions through offering early retirement incentives. Any employer that elects to participate in the Incentive Program can choose between either a Targeted Incentive (Part A) or a 55/25 Retirement Benefit (Part B). The retirement incentive is only available in 2010, and employees who elect to take advantage of the incentive cannot be replaced, making this program beneficial only to municipalities looking to reduce the number of positions on their payroll.

[mnb811]

The city budget was cut and then they reinstated the cuts. Where did this new found money come from? How much money was dumped into that project on Martin Road? If they only sold 3 lots how much money is the city out of?


A lot of questions here but never any answers.