The smell of backroom deals continues to swirl around the small town of Bell, California. It takes both hands to count the number of ex-city officials who face criminal charges over outrageous salaries, benefits, and special contracts and deals that had them raking in the dough. Now one of the fired bureaucrats, Eric Eggena — who isn’t facing charges — has filed a lawsuit for $837,000 in pay and benefits. Here’s an update on how the taxpayers of Bell have been soaked by out-of-control government:
In addition to his salary, the city paid the employee portion of Eggena’s Medicare and Social Security deductions, and he accumulated double sick and vacation time, according to his contracts.
“I think it’s simply outrageous,” said Anthony Taylor, an attorney for Bell.
Eggena was one of several officials in Bell who received outsized salaries and benefits, led by former Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo, whose compensation reached $1.5 million a year, which included 107 vacation and 36 sick days a year.
Another official, former Police Chief Randy Adams, whose salary of $457,000 a year made him one of the highest paid law enforcement officials in the nation, also has sued the city for severance pay.
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