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Oakland is cutting back on public safety. Economically, the residents are in the poverty range. Yet, city government, run into the ground first by Mayor Jerry Brown, and now by Castro's best friend, Ron Dellums, has allowed the unions to decimate the budget.
"As always, union contracts and pension benefits drove the city into the ground. Please consider Oakland faces pension costs, higher taxes.
Oakland voters will likely be asked in November to approve higher taxes to halve a $42 million deficit, but even if they agree, the city will face an even deeper crisis within months.
Ballooning pension costs will push the city's projected deficit to $58.7 million by July 2011.
The biggest portion of that budget shortfall is a debt payment of $43.9 million due July 1, 2011, to the old Police and Fire Retirement System. The payment would be more than 10 percent of the roughly $400 million city budget."
The next Mayor is also owned by the unions, the ethically challenged Don Perata.
The good news is that the city will shortly file for bankruptcy--they really have no choice.
Another California city, another government owned by unions, another bankruptcy. Did you expect different?
Oh, the Oakland teachers unions--the school district is running a massive deficit, struck this week for a pay increase.
Crazy, huh?
More...
"As always, union contracts and pension benefits drove the city into the ground. Please consider Oakland faces pension costs, higher taxes.
Oakland voters will likely be asked in November to approve higher taxes to halve a $42 million deficit, but even if they agree, the city will face an even deeper crisis within months.
Ballooning pension costs will push the city's projected deficit to $58.7 million by July 2011.
The biggest portion of that budget shortfall is a debt payment of $43.9 million due July 1, 2011, to the old Police and Fire Retirement System. The payment would be more than 10 percent of the roughly $400 million city budget."
The next Mayor is also owned by the unions, the ethically challenged Don Perata.
The good news is that the city will shortly file for bankruptcy--they really have no choice.
Another California city, another government owned by unions, another bankruptcy. Did you expect different?
Oh, the Oakland teachers unions--the school district is running a massive deficit, struck this week for a pay increase.
Crazy, huh?
More...