Bell, California

One of my hopes for my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren is that they should be good citizens. They should understand the city, the state and the country in which they live. To do this it is necessary to be vigilant about those that serve them. Vigilance requires effort, study and staying informed. Why do I hope this? Because there are people who attempt to deceive the people that they say they serve. An excellent example has recently come about in Bell, California. In this city of 30,000 people the Mayor and the Police Chief have been taking salaries that are way out of line for the work they have been doing. The Mayor was drawing almost $800,000 and the Police Chief was drawing over $400,000 per year. How did this happen? Where were the people when salary increases were proposed? Why was there no published information on salaries and pensions? Where was the opposing party that might have made inquires? Who ran against them in elections that might have exposed the thievery? When the citizens did find out about their officials they asked for an accounting. The thieves, promptly resigned. Are there other cities that have this same type of people working for them? While this is an egregious, case we can be assured that there are more, they just have not been uncovered yet. To my progeny - do your due diligence as a citizen. Do not wait for someone else to do it. That is what people were doing in Bell, expecting others to do it. Be a credit to yourself and your community.