I wonder if no one had noticed, how long would the excessive pay have continued. The city manager, asst city manager, and Police chief of Bell, California were paid more than the Prez. Refund? Not! Schools must be given any overages. So the tax payers are out out of the overpayment, and the schools will get the money. I wonder how much is going to go to the teachers union? Just sayin...
If I went to a Walm@rt and I tryed to buy a product at $10.00 and handed the cashier a $20.00, she should return the the change, not tell me it is surplus funds to be turned over the the nearest school system.
It seems no matter what California does it is ridden by debt, crooked politians and idiot judges. But be happy. These overpaid politicians were all Democrats.
OBTW... this could be happing anywhere in this country.
A California city that has drawn anger for the high salaries paid to its leaders plans to repay $3 million in property tax overcharges and return tax rates to the legal limit, the interim city manager said Friday.
The Bell City Council will be asked Monday to pass a resolution agreeing the rate overcharge was illegal and then approve a rate that meets state law, interim City Manager Pedro Carrillo said.
Carrillo said he had previously asked the state controller to look into reports of the overcharge. New discoveries were made Thursday night, he said.
California State Controller John Chiang notified Los Angeles County that "the overcharges were discovered during the initial phase of the controller's audit into the city of Bell's finances. Property owners in the city paid an estimated $3 million in extra taxes during the past three years," Chiang's office said in a written statement Friday.
"While my investigation into the city of Bell continues, these unlawful taxes must stop immediately," said Chiang. "Homeowners and property owners should not pay the price for this poor fiscal management."
Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo, Police Chief Randy Adams and Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia resigned last month after media reports that they were earning salaries of several hundred thousand dollars each. In addition, four Bell City Council members who were making almost $100,000 a year drastically reduced their pay after protests by citizens outraged by the high salaries.
Carrillo said he wants to return the $3 million to taxpayers but state law requires overages go to schools. He hopes to negotiate that. He doesn't know yet what fund will be used to repay the $3 million.
The city is trying to determine who passed or authorized the illegal rate, Carrillo and interim City Attorney Jamie Casso said. "We want to know who did what, when and where," Carrillo said.
"No stone will be left unturned" in the investigation, said Casso, who indicated that any possible criminal charges will be up the Los Angeles County district attorney or Attorney General Edmund Brown Jr.
Brown earlier in the week ordered Bell officials past and present to turn over financial records and give depositions under oath in coming weeks on the high salaries that prompted public protests and resignations. He ordered them to produce records related to their pay, pension benefits, tax returns, gifts, bank accounts and outside interests. CNN news
Brantigny
...and 47% of Americans pay no taxes.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment