On Pension Problems in the South Bay

How many people does it take to screw in a light bulb?

This joke always hinges on the persons doing the screwing.

Another joke, more sober and serious in content than preparing an appliance:

How long does it take a city council to negotiate a reasonable contract with public employees, one that recognizes the ongoing decline of revenues, the downturn in the economy, and growing costs of pension and health care benefits for public employees?

For the City of Manhattan Beach, it would appear that a year is not long enough, for they have extended current contracts with city workers, all without dealing with the extensive pension obligations which are threatening the sustainability of city coffers.

I respect the role of public safety officers protecting our communities. However, to grant them almost the same level pay for the rest of their lives following retirement is simply outrageous. If it costs a municipal government so much just to hire and prosper peace officers and fire fighters, then perhaps city dwellers would be better off walking our own beat and beating out our own fires.

Police and fire departments represent us -- they are paid by our tax dollars to secure our living arrangements in the community. Yes, they put their lives on the line for us, but why should we put the well-being of our children and the city's future into interminable debt out of fear that civic functionaries will walk off the job?

The state of California is already bleeding in debt. Municipal governments are suffering terribly just to make ends meet. Major cities have already laid off large numbers of public employees just to pay daily expenses, which now include the enormous and still growing pension obligations to public employees.

We want to recognize to role of those who serve and protect, but everyone wants to live in a city with basic services that still serves and protects those who live there. Does every city in the South Bay want to end up like Maywood, a community that disbanded in the face of huge revenue losses and unmanageable public debt?

To the civic leaders in the South Bay who are responsible for curtailing these outrageous outlays but refuse to deal with burgeoning public employee pension obligations, I have to ask the same question that the voluble and vocal New Jersey Governor Chris Christie posed to absentee President Barack Obama:

"What the hell are we paying you for?"

If civic leaders will not muster the political will to tame public employee unions, the cities you represent may not have any money left to pay anyone or to keep basic day-to-day services running!