Power to the People: A Lesson from Bell
Bell, CA citizens discovered their city officials earned up to 10x the average citizen’s salary. Citizens demanded a change and got it!
This small Southern California city is filled with hard-working blue collar families barely making it in a high-cost California economy. The average salary is about $32,000. That’s considered low-income in So. Cal!
A few months ago, Bell’s citizens learned their city mayor, police chief and part-time city council in a city of 45,000 were making more than Los Angeles officials in similar positions and even more than President Obama!
Citizens took to their anger into the streets with regular protests outside city hall and at public meetings. Soon local LA news stations and CNN were carrying their story live.
Officials caught with their hands in the cookie jar have resigned and the Mayor is working with no pay for the balance of his term. But the best news is that the State of California has opened a full investigation.
The Wealthy Wednesday lesson is that We, the people have the power to make changes in our government. It may take some righteous anger and shouting voices to be heard.
Have an issue in your city, county or state that needs to be fixed? Create a stir, shine the light on it and get others to work together and you too can make a difference like the citizens of Bell have done.
