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Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006 | On the subject of underfunding of San Diego city employees pension fund and other city services…
I have read and heard from city employees who have left for employment with other cities, that San Diego is not being competitive with pay or benefits. But, San Diego citizens apparently don’t want to pay even what’s being paid now… Aguirre calls ’em illegal benefits.
I have read studies comparing the taxation rates, the amount San Diegans pay for city services showing that San Diegans pay less than residents of other comparable cities in California. But San Diegans don’t want to pay more.
I have seen comparisons of the number of city employees per residents of San Diego and other like-sized cities that show that this city is apparently getting along with fewer employees than other cities. But, I hear continual calls for saving money by cutting the number of employees… but not cutting the level or amount of services provided, of course.
To the extent that any of the above is factual, I hope that at least some of Mayor Sanders’ efforts will be addressed to convincing San Diego voters that “you shouldn’t expect to get what you don’t pay for.”