Recently, I drove down the Southern California coast to attend a philosophy conference in San Diego. All along the way, and when I later sat in my hotel room overlooking the harbor, I kept thinking: how can a state as beautiful and as blessed as this one be so screwed up?
But an article I read just the other day helps me see, once again, the problem with California. The problem is its deeply demented government.
The story reports that Newport Beach, a wealthy city south of LA, is paying all but one of its full-time lifeguards over $100,000 a year in salary and benefits. $100K a year! And over half of them earn over $100,000 a year in salary alone! In fact, the two highest-earning lifeguards earn well over $200,000!
Additionally, these lifeguards retire after 30 years (or as young as age 50) with a pension of 90% of their highest salary.
Now, granted, Orange County, where Newport Beach is located, is one of the wealthiest counties in the US. But even in Orange County, the median household income ($71,735) is far lower than what these dudes and dudettes earn.
This of course raises a fascinating question: if the freaking lifeguards are earning this kind of money, what is the city paying its other workers? I shudder to think what the city is paying its police and firefighters. And can you imagine what the city officials must be getting?
Here, it just gets crazier, day by day.
