City of Bell scandal
The Bell scandal involved the misappropriation of public funds in Bell, California, United States, over a period of several years in the late 2000s. In July 2010, the Los Angeles Times published an investigative article on possible malfeasance in the neighboring city of Maywood, revealing that the city officials of Bell received salaries that were reported as the highest in the nation. Subsequent investigations found atypically high property tax rates, allegations of voter fraud in municipal elections and other irregularities which heightened the ensuing scandal. These and other reports led to widespread criticism and a demand for city officials to resign.
In the end, seven Bell city officials, including former mayor Oscar Hernandez, former city administrator Robert Rizzo, assistant city administrator Angela Spaccia, and four city council members were convicted on graft and corruption charges, and were given sentences ranging from probation to twelve years in prison.
Bell, California, is a small suburb of Los Angeles that covers 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2), with a population of approximately 38,000. It is one of the poorest cities in Los Angeles County, where almost one in six residents lives below the poverty line. In 2009, Bell's per capita income was about $24,800 and 90% of its residents were Hispanic or Latino. In 2010, only 43.3% held a high school degree or equivalent, while just 6.0% held a post-secondary degree. Small businesses, auto shops, markets, carnicerias, and panaderias dominate the streets of Bell. The city’s unemployment level is 16%. As with other cities in California, all of Bell's local elections are nonpartisan.
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