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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
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Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
August 6, 2010
/ 26 Menachem-Av, 5770
Crooks in Government? I'm Shocked!
By
Greg Crosby
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
By now just about everyone in the world has heard about the sleepy little California city of Bell and how the corrupt elected officials have, now let me see, how can I put this gently… screwed over the people of that community by working the system so that they could grant themselves enormous salaries and outrageous pensions. Bell is not a rich city by any stretch but even if it were, the money it was paying out to these thieves would still be ridiculously out of line.
Top crook here would be Robert "Ratso" Rizzo, a city administrator who was pulling down an annual salary of about $800,000 with a retirement pension at age 50 of $700,000 each and every year (with cost of living increases) for life! So they force this bum to resign, so what? He's 55 years old, so he resigns and starts collecting his fat pension. Nice. According to Reuters, he stands to collect upwards of $30 million in retirement money before he dies. Talk about a golden parachute! Rizzo gets the golden parachute and the tax payers get the golden shaft.
Rizzo's windfall is only the worst case that has surfaced so far in a statewide pension rip-off. The entire state of California is going broke, millions of normal hard working people have lost their 401K's and private pension plans, but government workers are doing just fine and dandy, thank you. The state's public pension assets are managed by the California Public Employees' Retirement System and California State Teachers' Retirement System, global fund giants better known as Calpers and Calstrs, respectively. That's respectively, not to be confused with respectfully, a concept never used by government bureaucrats when dealing with the folks.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is finally demanding that lawmakers do something to reform pensions of government workers. Gee, Arnie, ya think? This year alone California taxpayers have had to pony up an extra $600 million just for state government pensions. Hell, this state only has a $19 billion deficit in our state budget for this year, that's all. Meanwhile, we've got an economy that's in the tank and entitlement programs that keep pumping out billions not only to American citizens, but to support illegal aliens who live here.
But let's go back to Bell for a minute, because I don't want to neglect the other thieves. Like for instance Police Chief Randy Adams who earned $457,000 a year, that's two times what Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck gets. The City of Bell has a 46 person department; LA's police chief oversees a department of 12,899.
And then we have Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia who was paid $376,288 annually, which is more than most city managers are paid. Oh, and let's not forget the City Council members who get around $100,000 a year for their part-time positions. Council members in similarly sized cities make an average of $4,800 a year.
To put all this in perspective, the City of Bell has only a population of around 37,000. It is definitely a lower-income blue-collar community. The per capita income is about $24,800, according to the city's latest annual report. An investigation into the cities property taxes has found that the homeowners of Bell are paying a higher rate than homeowners in Beverly Hills. Residents of Bell pay as much as 1.55 % of their home's assessed value in taxes. The average for the county is 1.16 percent. In Beverly Hills, where the per-capita income is over four times that of Bell, residents pay 1.19 %.
The good news is, the three thieves were forced to resign and as of now, I understand that Rizzo, Adams, and Spaccia will collect no state pension monies until California clears them of charges of fiscal abuse pending against them. But what if they are cleared? Do they get the big bucks? And the question remains, how did this happen in the first place? These people didn't walk into a bank vault with masks on their faces and shove twenties into bags, this thing was carefully maneuvered and it looks like voter fraud may be behind it.
It seems that there are some discrepancies in the 2009 election. These "discrepancies" are being examined by the FBI and the Office of California's secretary of state. In the police report filed, were listed the names of 19 voters who allegedly were either living in Lebanon or were deceased at the time that their votes were cast. There is a small Lebanese community in Bell.
Voter fraud or just crooks being crooks, it doesn't make any difference. These thieves who were "doing the people's business" as so many of them like to say, shouldn't get a penny in pension. Not a penny. I'm sure they'll never see any jail time, but I'd love to see them do some community service, like cleaning county correctional facility toilets for about five years at a nickel a john. Let them save those nickels towards their retirement fund, that's all they deserve.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Greg Crosby, former creative head for Walt Disney publications, has written thousands of comics, hundreds of children's books, dozens of essays, and a letter to his congressman. A freelance writer in Southern California, you may contact him by clicking here.
Greg Crosby Archives
© 2008, Greg Crosby
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