Although 462 California cities and 53 counties managed to comply with new state reporting requirements on salaries, pension benefits and other compensation, the city of Bell, whose massive overpayments to public officials inspired the rules, missed the October 31 filing deadline.

Bell erupted in scandal in 2010 when a series of stories by the Los Angeles Times detailed exorbitant compensation for Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo and seven other city officials. Eight people were charged in February 2011 with public corruption for allegedly looting one of Los Angeles County’s poorest municipalities of more than $5.5 million. Some observers put the cost to Bell at $20 million.

In response, State Controller John Chiang created the Government Compensation in California website and ordered local governments to provide information for its database. Interested parties can browse local salaries, see the Top 10 highest paid officials, create their own reports from the data and download all the data for their own purposes.

The website also provides compensation information on officials in 2,900 special districts, higher education and the state itself.

The controller updated the site with 2011 data earlier this week but Bell was one of 17 cities and three counties that missed the deadline. Bell City Manager Doug Willmore told the Times the city would be filing its report with the state by the end of the week.

Each non-complying agency faces a penalty of up to $5,000.

–Ken Broder

To Learn More:

Bell Misses Deadline for Reporting Salaries, Benefits (by Jeff Gottleib, Los Angeles Times)

Chiang Publishes New City and County Payroll Figures (State Controller’s Office)