The average salary for a firefighter or police officer is about $70,000, about half what the city manager makes. Is their contribution to society really half of a city manager? If you car is stolen or your house catches fire, the city manager isn’t going to help.

What if firefighters and police officers were paid the city manager’s salary? Private sector employers would be forced to raise wages to keep their employees from becoming firefighters and police officers. Similarly, cutting their salaries in half would drive firefighters and police officers into the private sector, increasing competition for jobs and keeping wages low.

If you’re an employer, keeping wages low is in your own interests, so measures A and B are for you. However, if you are Joe or Jane worker, lowering the wages and benefits of any other worker, whether that worker is in the private or public sector, is not in your interest. For Joe or Jane workers, a yes vote on A and B is a vote against their own paychecks.

-- Lance Hillsinger - San Luis Obispo

-- Lance Hillsinger - San Luis Obispo