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Bell Councilman Arrested In Salary Scandal To Quit

BELL (AP) — One of the four Bell City Council members charged with illegally paying themselves and others in the modest Los Angeles suburb huge salaries says he plans to resign.

Councilman Luis Artiga told the Los Angeles Times on Monday he is leaving the City Council and will not attend Monday night's meeting, the first since his arrest.

Artiga is one of eight current and former city officials arrested last month. The four were paying themselves nearly $100,000 a year for part-time service. Former City Manager Robert Rizzo, who was also arrested, was receiving approximately $1.5 million a year in salary and benefits.

Artiga says he is resigning in the best interests of the city, where one in six people live in poverty.

© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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