> They work in a city where it's difficult to buy a home for less than a million dollars. Yet Starbucks baristas still get paid the same as anywhere else (modu

> They work in a city where it's difficult to buy a home for less than a million dollars. Yet Starbucks baristas still get paid the same as anywhere else (modulo some minor cost of living adjustments) and don't get to retire at 50 with 90% of their last year's income (which should be a good deal more than the starting salary). > further highly specialized education beyond a bachelor's degree You should say "separate from," since all that is required to join is a high school diploma: http://sf-police.org/index.aspx?page=1646 http://sf-police.org/index.aspx?page=1646. Then, I suppose, you must attend police academy, but it's not clear from your links exactly how much time you have to spend there. Given that the mayor cancelled two thirds of their classes, either the force must have cut hiring by 66% or those classes are not required for all kinds of police duty. That "hint" bit was rude, I should know since I troll occasionally too, but you'd be better off avoiding it if you want people to listen to you. > Also contrary to your assertion, it appears starting pay is no higher in Oakland than SF. I believe my claim was about overall pay, not starting pay, for Oakland. That said, I don't have numbers to back that up. I can only say, "I heard it from Michael Krasny on Forum." Being that he seems to lean left, I don't see any reason for him to exaggerate the pay of unionized government workers, but it's possible he got it wrong or I am not remembering correctly. > They perform a very important service and risk their lives doing it. They deserve every cent IMO. Being a policeman is not really that risky. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_officer#Line_of_duty_deaths http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_officer#Line_of_duty_dea.... Pizza drivers are at greater risk of death and you don't see them getting paid six figures for their work. Politicians beholden to unions is a much better explanation. I do believe they deserve to get paid something, but I don't think their jobs are so hard that they should have money thrown at them the way they do. It's fine for you to "feel" the way you do, but to my eyes you haven't provided much rational justification for it.