Posted on 03/04/2012 12:27:38 PM PST by SmithL
Black-and-white photos of Stockton in its heyday - of handsome buildings and bustling streets - flash on the flat-screen television at Henry's Miracle Mile Hair Styling in the city's historic shopping district.
Customers also get a sobering dose of color images showing empty, boarded up stores and restaurants that left downtown long ago.
Stockton is on the verge of becoming the largest city in the United States to declare bankruptcy, and on a recent weekday the talk inside the old school barber shop centered on the financial havoc at City Hall that threatens the often derided city of nearly 300,000 residents.
Stockton native and barber Terrance Fields said the city's decline is evident not only in the pictures, but also just outside on the street.
"We haven't seen the meter maid in two weeks," Fields said as another barber trimmed hair on a silver-headed customer.
Cars parked out front sit all day, taking spots that could be used by customers, and no city workers patrol and ticket the vehicles, he said.
But that's a relatively minor problem for Stockton. A combination of bad financial practices, bad decisions and bad luck has pushed the city into a hole so deep, bankruptcy may be the only way out. Last week, the City Council voted to begin an unprecedented restructuring of its mounting debt.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
What alarmed Deis was the depth of the city's huge unfunded guarantee for health care for retired city employees, caused in part by a very generous policy that promises city workers lifetime coverage for themselves and a spouse after just one month of employment. Union leaders say the benefits are not excessive.There is no such thing as excessive benefits to a public service union.
Wait, wait; don’t tell me! 100% Dem government??
Lunacy.
“...after just one month of employment.”
You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.
What is it they say: All trends begin in California?!
lifetime medical care guaranteed after 1 month of employment? Oh, they dug this hole themselves. Let them crawl out of it. What freaking BS and they wonder why they’re in trouble.
I knew this would happen when Nick Barkley died.!!
...and these are the same people calling everyone else greedy. (shaking head)
This what happens when a democrat is put in charge of paradise......soon thereafter one gets Hell!!!
I should have worked for them for a month instead of doing 21 years in the Army for “Free Health Care for Life”.
There´s a Delta breeze because Stockton sucks.
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