You read that right: there are now more city pensioners in San Fran than city workers. American Interest: "Blue San Francisco plans to stiff the unions"
California’s shortsighted unions and politicians have left their successors in a horrible position: do you slash pensions that old people rely on, or do you cut government services like police, fire protection and education? Taxpayers generally favor the first alternative; it is hard to persuade hardworking immigrants struggling to raise kids that they should send their kids to bad schools on dirty, unsafe streets to save the money necessary honor abusive contracts made by past generations of labor and political bosses.I look forward to the Occupy San Francisco marches and the Wisconsin-style recall elections.
2 comments:
You do realize that San Francisco's pension plan goes through the city charter, and that any changes must legally be put to a public vote - a situation completely unlike the Wisconsin switcheroo?
You do realize that the "Occupy" movement may not be energized to launch an immediate recall campaign against a mayor and other city representatives whose next election is a whopping 2 days away?
You do realize that the "Occupy" movement is protesting the Wall Street scam system that fraudulently drained money from American pension plans? Including San Francisco's, which had been flourishing 4 years ago despite the same aging demographics and abusive giveaways to greedy greedy pensioners?
You do realize that the shortsighted unions have given back over half a billion dollars in contract concessions since 2007? To go along with a billion in city service cuts? But just $90 million in increased taxes - less than $2 a week per SanFran resident?
You do realize that it is less moral to renege on negotiated agreements than it is to change tax policy?
I look forward to the Occupy San Francisco marches and the Wisconsin-style recall elections.
Silly comparison.
The focal issue of this week's S.F. elections is the pension crunch. The ballot includes a Proposition that would raise city workers' financial obligation.
But in Wisconsin, Scott Walker's unspoken union-busting plan wasn't even a whisper during the 2010 campaign or the election.
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