Wanna get rich? Be a cop in California
He was right -- and he was wrong.
He was right that, in counties that are home to large numbers of illegal immigrants, there is a financial burden on schools, jails, hospitals and social services.
But he was wrong not to look at the other side of the ledger, and acknowledge the financial benefit of illegal immigration to the state's cities and counties, and to the state itself. Illegal immigration keeps the California economy afloat -- jobs get filled, profits get earned, wages get spent and taxes get paid.
Besides, the cost side is nickels and dimes compared with what local and state governments are paying out every month to people who don't even work. You see, in the Golden State, we have problems that a big, beautiful border wall won't fix. One of them is public employee unions.
Created to allow government workers to engage in collective bargaining, these labor organizations are now major players in the political process. They tell politicians what to do, and -- because unions convert members' dues to campaign contributions, mainly for Democrats -- the politicians do as they're told. Then the unions are able to shower their members with lavish salaries, generous benefits and hefty pensions. The bill is footed by California's taxpayers.
In San Diego, which earned national headlines as "Enron by the Sea" about 15 years ago for its financial struggles due to a gold-plated public employees' retirement system, the joke in law enforcement circles was that the police brass had to retire because they couldn't afford to keep working.
It's not unusual to find retired cops who pocket, thanks to the generosity of cities and counties, six-figure pensions plus lifetime medical benefits.
State police officers -- such as prison guards and members of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) -- get among the best pensions of all. In fact, you could say they make out like bandits.
It's good work, if you can get it. And, often, people get these plum jobs in state law enforcement thanks to family members who are already in the system. Speaking of family, I had a front-row seat to this issue growing up. My father was a cop in Central California.
That's what makes the following story so painful to hear.
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