Posted on 07/21/2008 7:56:32 AM PDT by SmithL
Two years ago, newly elected Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa vowed to put 1,000 more cops on the city's dangerous streets and proposed to raise trash collection fees to provide the money.
"Every new dollar residents pay for trash pickup," the mayor promised in a city news release, "will be used to put more officers on the streets."
Residential trash collection was boosted from $11 a month to $26. The new fees generated $137 million, but the city hired only about 400 more cops, according to a recent report from City Controller Laura Chick, and they cost about $42 million.
So, where did almost $100 million go? Chick's report revealed that most of it went to higher salaries for those already on the Los Angeles police payroll, covering the nearly 10 percent raises that the city granted to police unions.
Villaraigosa could break his promise because technically the trash money was never specifically earmarked for new cops.
"Probably the public did not think at the time that the (trash money) was going to pay for raises," Chick said. "If there were misperceptions or unrealistic expectations that the money was only going to be used for police hires, my report dispels that myth."
That seems to be a polite way to say Angelenos should have known better than to trust politicians' words. And it explains, in large measure, why California politicians from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger – who once promised, and failed, to end "crazy deficit spending" – are held in such disrepute these days.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
How typically lieberal. Subsidize more trash on the street (illegal alien gang bangers) and then raise the fees on the productive class to remove trash.
Works out to be around $105,000 per year for each cop.
Err...welcome to ATZLAN.
Los Angeles: This is where the worst terrorism seems to almost always be located, according to “24”! I know. I’ve seen the show, and nearly all terrorist weapons keep going off somewhere either in L.A. or in surrounding communities. Seriously, L.A. must really hate the show “24” for the most part.
“Criminal Mayor” for Hollywood’s sake.
It would just more corrupt Mexican-style cops sitting around collecting bribes, anyway.
The police are turning into just another gang, only better-armed and funded.
Los Angeles, pay attention. You have a good candidate for mayor!
http://web.mac.com/waltermoore/WalterMooreForMayor/Home.html
Moore, Not More Of The Same. Vote March 3, 2009
WalterMooreForMayor.com
He doesn’t have the correct skin color to be elected. Sorry!
Courtesy of Antonio Villa P*ndejo..
rookie lapd cops do not make near that much. i am sure they figured in cost to train, academy overhead, healthcare, etc...
Just a nearly 10 percent raise? Seems a bit excessive when you consider yourself lucky to get a 2 or 3 percent raise (in the real world.)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.