$650,000 Housing Deal for Maricopa City Manager Sparks Controversy and Fallout

The City of Maricopa Approved $650,000 House for City Manager, Sparking Ethics Complaint, Community Tensions and a Subsequent Restraining Order Against the Whistleblower!

This is an update from an in-depth story that we wrote for the Arizona Sun Times. In April 2024, the City of Maricopa appointed Ben Bitter as its new city manager, offering a compensation package that sparked community debate. Bitter’s annual salary was set at $242,000—$20,000 more than his predecessor’s—and included a $400 monthly vehicle stipend and a…