[masonic]

TL;DR:

"Our auditors at OpentheBooks.com found truck drivers in San Francisco making $159,000 per year; lifeguards in LA County costing taxpayers $365,000; nurses at UCSF making up to $501,000; the UCLA athletic director earning $1.8 million; and 1,420 city employees out-earning all 50 state governors ($202,000).

Using our new interactive mapping tool, quickly review (by ZIP code) the 340,390 California public employees and retirees who earn more than $100,000 and cost taxpayers $45 billion (FY2018-9)."

[skookum-skuad]

Remember how much Sunnyvale and Mountain View firefighters and police make. There was quite a list comprising tens of millions in salaries. It might be fine if the cities can afford it compared to their other liabilities. Ideally, they want the best people and best equipment they can afford if they have stable, deep funding. I think looking at the numbers alone is counting OPM; the results, value of services, and mitigation of risks need to be benchmarked.

[masonic]

Generally, the fiscal cliff with police/fire isn't base compensation but the lucrative pension and (easily gained) disability benefits... and the practice of pension "spiking".