Attention Citizens of Bell, CA: WAKE UP!

UPDATE:  They're awake!

This is absurd:

BELL, Calif. -- Bell, one of the poorest cities in Los Angeles County, is coming under fire for its hefty salaries paid to city leaders, including the city manager who rakes in nearly $800,000 a year.

Bell's Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo gets an annual salary of $787,637, and the city's police chief makes $457,000 a year -- about 50-percent more than Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck.

Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia makes $376,288 annually, more than most city managers.

Rizzo's contract calls for 12-percent raises each July, the same as his top deputy, the Times reported, citing documents obtained under the California Public Records Act.

Rizzo, who has run Bell's day-to-day civic affairs since 1993, was unapologetic about his salary -- which is twice as much as President Obama's.

"If that's a number people choke on, maybe I'm in the wrong business," he told KTLA partner, the Los Angeles Times. "I could go into private business and make that money. This council has compensated me for the job I've done."

Spaccia agreed, adding: "I would have to argue you get what you pay for."

Even the city's mayor is defending the salaries, saying the community credits Rizzo for the city's success.

Bell has less than 40,000 residents. Its per capita income is about half that for the U.S....

The district attorney is looking into the salaries of Bell's City Council members -- about $100,000 a year for part-time positions. Normally, council members in a city the size of Bell would be paid about $400 a month, Demerjian said.

This may be the most lucrative scam in Southern California.