Predator State:
Corruption in a Council-Manager System
– the Case of Bell, CA
TOM HOGEN-ESCH
PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE
REVISITING THE BELL CORRUPTION SCANDAL CONFERENCE
CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY
FEBRUARY 19, 2015
Corruption



Annual Compensation

City Manager: $1.5 million pay
and benefits

Asst. City Manager: $376,000,
Police Chief: $475,000

4 of 5 Council-members: $100,000
Illegal Taxes/Impounding

$5.6 million illegal taxes

Bet. 2,000-2,500 impounds
($800,000 revenues)
Convictions (2013)

Misappropriation of public funds

12 years in prison, restitution
City Manager, Asst. City Manager and 2
members of the Bell City Council
Southeast LA
“Gateway Cities”
Alhambra
El Monte
Downtown
Los Angeles
East
LA
#
Monterey
Park
Montebello
Commerce
Vernon
Maywood
Inglewood
Huntington
BELL Bell
Park
Cudahy Gardens
Pico
Rivera
Whittier
South Gate
Downey
Lynwood
Norwalk
Hawthorne
Paramount
Gardena
Compton
N
Bellflower
Long Beach
Cerritos
City of Bell
Vernon
BA
ND
INI
BL
VD
Maywood
Y
City of Bell
RW
EACH F
LONG B
Huntington Park
Commerce
AVE
ATLANTIC BL
VD
E SLAUSON
Bell Gardens
E FLORENC
E AVE
Cudahy
N
How Does Corruption Emerge in a System
Designed to Prevent Corruption?

Machine Era (1870s – 1910)



‘Spoil Systems’
Progressive Movement (1900-1925)

Non-partisan elections

At-large elections

City Manager governance

Municipal bureaucracies

Off-cycle elections

Voter registration/citizenship
Council-Manager System

Common throughout US/California

Product of ethnic conflict(Judd and Swanstrom
2002, Bridges 1997)

Depresses voter turnout in immigrant and minority
communities (Caren 2007, Hajnal and Lewis 2003)

Alternative form of ‘political monopoly’
(Trounstine 2008)
Ethnic Change, 1970-2010
Ethnic
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
Group
White
16,669
3,345
3,663
2,132
1,728
Hispanic
(76%)
4,476*
(13%)
16,028
(11%)
29,483
(6%)
33,328
(5%)
33,028
Black
(21%)
28
(63%)
91
(86%)
274
(91%)
468
(93%)
214
Asian/PI
(.01%)
394
(.03%)
410
(.08%)
470
(1.5%)
533
(.6%)
231
Native
(.02%)
263
(.02%)
335
(1.4%)
287
(1.5%)
604
(.7%)
64
American
Two or More
Races**
(.01%)
NA
(.01%)
NA
(.08%)
NA
(1.6%)
1,751
(.06%)
143
Total
21,830
34,221
(4.8%)
36,664
(.4%)
35,477
25,449
Source: 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 U.S. Census.
* The 1970 Census used the term “Spanish” to denote individuals from Latin America.
**This category applies only to 2000 and 2010.
Turnout in State
and Federal Elections,
1980-2014
Ave.
Turnout
Bell
RV
Bell
VA
LA
County
RV
41%
14%
50%
LA
County
VA
CA
RV
CA
VA
30%
54%
35%
Source: Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters; California Secretary of State;
1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 U.S. Census
PP=Presidential Primary; GP=Gubernatorial Primary; PG=Presidential General;
GG=Gubernatorial General
Turnout Bell City Elections, 1980-2013
Election
Date
March 5, 2013
March 8, 2011**
March 3, 2009
March 6, 2007
Reg. Voters
18%
34%
24%
6%
Voting-age
Adults
8%
12%
6%
2%
November 29, 2005
4%
.02%
March 8, 2005*
November 4, 2003
March 4, 2003*
March 6, 2001*
August 26, 1997
March 4, 1997
April 12, 1994
April 14, 1992*
April 10, 1990
April 12, 1988
April 8, 1986
April 10, 1984
April 13, 1982
April 8, 1980
Ave. Turnout
-10%
--13%
36%
51%
-20%
39%
26%
34%
88%
30%
29%
-4%
--4%
10%
11%
-4%
12%
9%
11%
28%
10%
9%
Source: City Clerk, City of Bell; LA County Registrar
*Uncontested Election; **Recall Election
Rethinking Civic
Engagement


Council-Manager System

Ill-suited to governance of high-immigration cities

Biases against participation produces civic
disengagement and invites corruption
Reforms

At-large elections (Anaheim, Whittier, Palmdale,
etc.)

Align elections with state primary and general
elections


City of LA, 1 & 2 (state and federal elections)
Non-citizen voting? (Hayduk, 2006)