For anyone (e.g. Tom Buch) who questions whether public employee benefits are out of control, consider the year 2021 pension contribution and matching levels such as those buried in MPCSD's justification of the latest property tax increase: Web Link

Average Jane in the private sector is making $100k/yr, contributing 16.5% to max out her 401k, and getting a private sector average match of 2.7%. Meanwhile, Average Joe, an MPCSD teacher, is making the district average at a hair over $100k, contributing 10.3% to his pension fund and getting a combined state and district match of 27.4%. So he's contributing 38% less and receiving 10X more in benefits. That's really an underestimate of the disparity since the average income in SM and SM counties is actually less than $100k for Average Jane (but hey, it makes the math easy).

Oh, and Average Joe's union managed to get him exempted from paying social security tax so he doesn't have to pull his weight supporting current retirees on SS either (haha, you suckers). Average Jane is going to be working decades longer (if not 'til death) carrying Average Joe on her back through his leisurely retirement.

Or average Mac makes 387,000 taxpayer dollars and gets a pat on the back from his board.

A cost benefit analysis ought to include the pension costs involved in hiring more public employees vs contracting out. If it isn't comprehensive it isn't realistic.

Isn't it wonderful what a one party government can do for us. Pretty soon we'll also have a train to nowhere, mega-tunnels to conduct more water to farms and So Cal so that the "Gov" can rationalize not lifting the water rationing, and last but not least mandated medical insurance underwritten by the state. Just think all the services your money can buy. Funny how Oregon can have MUCH better roads and cheaper gas. Maybe it's because you can' pump your own gas there.

Write to Senator Hill and tell him what you think of this BS bill.

yes BS, tell the fox guarding the hen house you're not happy with how he's doing so. That'll work. This is the problem having a single party running things in this state. And the sheeple will keep reelecting them becasue they're democrats. God forbid they are beholden to all kinds of special interests OTHER than the people of the state. We can't possibly even consider a republican. Not that once they're in office they are any less beholden to special interests. At least if they are elected there's a balance between dems and pugs, and there's a balance between who they're beholden to. Which means the labor unions might lose a little control.

Stan, Menlo Voter,
As a liberal Dem, I'm also against this bill andI have also supported the Menlo Park dual-tier benefits for employees. But your raging characterizations of Dems, makes me me realize how out-of-touch California Republicans have become and why they have self-immolated over the past 20 years.
* As someone who travels to Oregon/Portland frequently, Oregon has lousy urban roads. Try getting from Hillsboro to PDX on a late afternoon, especially after a light dusting of snow.
* We had a 2+ Republican governor in Arnie, and he did a a respectable job governing once he got off his high horse representing Rep. interests and found compromises with the Dem. assembly and senate. But he's a a far cry from a big chunk of the Rep. party who continually harp that "the sky is falling" in CA.
* I'm going to sent a note to senator Hill, but probably more importantly to assemblyman Berman.
* In my mind, most of the Bay Area transportation and cost issues are a result of apolitical NIMBYism, sometimes masked as environmental protection.

stats:

who has control of the state?