CA: LAO: State's generosity to guards must end

San Diego Union - Tribune ^ | 2/13/08 | Editorial

[NormsRevenge]

In a state Capitol full of spin, hype and hooey, the Legislative Analyst's Office is a revered oasis of straight talk and honest analysis. For all the speculation about Senate President Don Perata's hidden motives, the best explanation for the Senate's recent rejection of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez's health reform measure is that the LAO said the plan's budget numbers just didn't add up.

We hope lawmakers pay at least as much attention to the LAO's latest report, which describes Schwarzenegger's proposed one-year, 5 percent pay raise for state prison guards as unjustified and unnecessary.

The LAO noted that a stunning five-year, 34-percent pay hike and highly generous pension benefits given to the California Correctional Peace Officers Association by Gov. Gray Davis during his benighted years in office had sharply increased applicants for guard jobs – thus obliterating the old argument that compensation had to be higher or vacancies would never be filled. Instead, 130,000 job-seekers now besiege the corrections department each year.

The report went beyond compensation questions to chronicle how state leaders' coddling of the politically influential prison guards' union helped create the current budget crisis. Consider this incredible statistic: Correctional officers make up 30,000 – 15 percent – of the state's 200,000 employees. But they receive 40 percent of annual general fund-spending on personnel costs, including about a half-billion dollars in overtime.

Amazingly enough, however, some lawmakers argue that a 5 percent raise is too low – even during a budget crisis. Why? Their coffers are full of campaign cash from the guards' union.

It's rare to see such a stark fight between the public interest and the power a special interest can amass with legalized bribery. Given Sacramento's recent history, alas, the good guys may be overmatched – even with the LAO on their side.

[4woodenboats]

The guards want another raise?

Easy. Toss the union and take the savings home to their families.