But just to the right of those portraits is a gaping space where one council member?s image used to be. He was arrested in September, along with nearly all of the city?s top officials, charged with using the city?s coffers as their own, giving themselves top salaries and illicit low-interest loans.

Many of those officials have stepped down, including Robert Rizzo, the former chief administrator who was paid nearly $800,000, along with generous benefits, to run this small working-class suburb southeast of Los Angeles. So did Councilman Luis Artiga, who was paid roughly $100,000 for the part-time position. Last month, Mr. Artiga said that while he had served ?with pride and honor,? he thought it was in the ?best interest? of the city for him to resign.

Other city officials who were charged with malfeasance apparently disagree. Mayor Oscar Hernandez and two other council members who were arrested maintain their innocence and are still in office, although they face a recall election in March.

Now, in many ways, Bell is in limbo. How can it regain the trust of residents after investigations showed that officials bilked more than $5.5 million? And just who should try to earn that trust?

?We all know all this money has been mismanaged,? said Nora Saenz, 32, who, like many, had never paid much attention to politics until the scandal erupted this summer after The Los Angeles Times published the salaries of Mr. Rizzo and other officials, the first of many reports detailing their exploits. ?What can we do to stop this, that?s what we want to know. Our money is still being abused, and who can do anything about it??

For the most part, life goes on as it always has. The streets are still littered, but no more than usual; the police still respond to petty crimes and quickly arrived at the scene of a gang-related shooting this month. But it is difficult to go anywhere without hearing chatter about the latest developments as the cases against the city officials wind their way through the courts.

Recently, residents began receiving refund checks after being overcharged for city taxes for the past several years. At a recent meeting to air concerns about the city, one resident said he ?did a little victory dance? when his check arrived in the mail.

?It?s something, but it?s not enough,? Ms. Saenz said, echoing the sentiment of many. (One city official said privately that without those refunds, ?people would have torched this place.?)

Red-and-white recall signs dot lawns and windows all over the city. The county clerk just began accepting applications for those who want to replace the council members, but so far many potential candidates seem reluctant to embrace the prospect of picking up the pieces of whatever is left of the local government.

?How does this happen ? that?s what everyone asks over and over again,? said Cristina Garcia, a lead organizer of Basta (Spanish for enough), a group that organized petitions to recall the mayor and the City Council. ?I don?t know what you do to put it together again. Good luck with that.?

For now, the day-to-day work is falling to Pedro Carrillo, who had been a consultant in Bell and other cities for several years. After Mr. Rizzo stepped down in July, the City Council appointed Mr. Carrillo as the interim administrative officer.

Mr. Carrillo quickly came under fire as residents questioned how he could be independent if he was appointed by the very council members who were being investigated. Late last week, another audit from the state controller found that Mr. Carrillo?s consulting firm was paid more than $200,000 by the city in the past two years. Now, Mr. Carrillo is under pressure to resign.