The metropolis of Bell in southeastern Los Angeles County has attracted national attention since an L.A. Times investigation last year found grounds of rampant corruption among public officials. As Tuesdays election approaches, more than half a dozen City Council members and managers face allegations of criminal misconduct. Some activists see opportunity in the small citys crisis.
No matter what the election results may be, Nestor Enrique Valencia is confident his city will get out ahead. Thats because Bell voters will show in a nearly-new city council, chosen from 17 contenders.
Valencia is one of them. The 44-year-old hospital administrator received the most applause from a good house as he spoke during a recent forum at Bell city hall.
We require a good manager," Valencia told the crowd. "We take good contract management. And thats how were passing to get this city back on track.
Getting Bell back on course is a top priority for many long-timers like Alfredo Vasquez. The truck driver is making up his mind.
As I talk with Vasquez about the campaign, I find hes wearing a T-shirt with a scene of councilman Lorezo Velez, whos running for re-election.
"Hey, Ive gotta be even-Steven with everybody," Vasquez said. "I only trust that the best candidates make it in. Im not for anyone in particular right now. I only need to get a good new government.
To hold his place on the Council, Velez has his work cut out for him.Voters at the candidates forum seemed unmoved as they watched his video presentation. They appeared indifferent as he discussed his program in a language that moderators cut short when it ran long.
I wanna make certain that our city is easily taken charge of," said Velez. "That we can extend to keep all the programs. all our community programs."
Ali Saleh, a little business owner who was natural and elevated in Bell, is also working for city council. He says Velez should have been more vigilant.
If you were in the authorities at the time, you should have asked questions back then," Saleh explained. "As a city councilman, you receive all the good for all the world records. If you just stay calm and dont ask for information, I suppose it says a lot about you and he shouldve asked those questions back then, not now.
Saleh promised that if voters elect him, hed promote business and bring transparency to the Bell City Council. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor recently endorsed him and four other candidates, including 44- year-old social services worker Violeta Alvarez.
She wants to direct public employees in Bell. "If Bell city workers would have been unionized then the winner of Robert Rizzo would have never happened," Alvarez said. "No union negotiator in the earth would have always allowed Rizzo to back the arrangement for so long.
As the preliminary hearing for former top administrator Robert Rizzo and former officials continues in L.A. Superior Court, voters will go to the polls to fix their broken government. On Tuesday, theyre expected to withdraw several previous and current public servants charged with looting the metropolis of millions of dollars.
Cristina Garcia, with the Bell Association to Stop the Abuse organization (known as BASTA), helped stage the recall election. She and others are eager to get a new chapter in the citys history.
This is only the beginning tone of many more to do and hopefully dozens of employment in the next and for succeeding generations."
Newly minted activists are convinced that generations of Bell voters will take the polls on Election Day - and the seats at future City Council meetings - as never before.
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