I hope that Menlo Park Council considers the jobs situation. Public employees now make more and get better retirement benefits than equivalent private positions, in general. That is totally backwards !
It was the pensions and benefits that sank GM. The public sector had permanence and reasonable wages, in return for unlikely cases of being laid off. Now it all reversed. The public sector is spending too much, has grown too much( especially in DC), but does not necessarily get the best for their inflated wages.
Unions are all well and good, but they have overplayed their hand against groups that were spending "other people's money" [OPM],not their own.
OPM is always cheap, just ask Congress. Your money is also not worth as much as the banks money they charge you but give little in return today. Real inflation is 2-4%, the banks give you 0 - 2% at best.
And they can borrow for almost zero from the Fed.