[Bernard Marx]

While I don't underrate the crime problem, this is another California public employee union con-job. There are plenty of budgets that could be slashed to help take up the shortfall before police protection. Lush public employee retirements and benefits -- including those of police -- would be a good place to start.

This has become a disgusting method of blackmailing voters into approving tax increases. Budget short fall? First things cut are services essential to taxpayers, not the highly-paid boards, commissions, advisory councils etc. that politicians use to reward their friends and supporters.

[Smokin' Joe]

First things cut are services essential to taxpayers, not the highly-paid boards, commissions, advisory councils etc. that politicians use to reward their friends and supporters.

Precisely. The real 'fat' in the system isn't on the front lines, it's in office buildings.