Dear Everyone;
Yesterday the SF Examiner had this OP/ED on the un-funded liabilities for the City employees health plan for retirees. I used that as a basis for an LTE to have the City institute a salary cap and the Examiner agreed.
This is the nicely done OP/ED on the un-funded liabilities:
http://www.examiner.com/a-88391~City_budget_problems_are_tip_of_iceberg.html
Here's my salary cap LTE :
http://sfpaper.examiner.com/content/e-edition/2006/04/26/12.pdf
Dear Letters;
If the figures by Nathan Nayman in his guest column are correct, [�City budget problems are tip of iceberg,�4-26] the unfunded health plan liability of retired City employees is the iceberg and the City is the Titanic. With 43 labor contracts being renewed, it�s time to clamp down on City pay and benefits. Currently, 40% of the $5 billion City budget goes to pay and benefits averaging $75,000 for City employees while private industry averages $50,000.
The City needs a salary cap on pay and benefits, with City employees picking up a larger share of co-pay instead of the taxpayers. Set the mayor's pay and benefits at $120,000, and scale down all other city employees from there. Stop the massive abuse of overtime, like the SFPD blowing through $10 million in half a year while patrolling hot spots.
Stop digging into city taxpayer wallets to give public employees benefits the taxpayers don�t have for themselves.
Ron Getty
Chair, Initiatives Committee
Libertarian Party San Francisco