San Francisco Government Workers Get A Big Slice of the Budget

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

When Mayor Gavin Newsom submitted his record $5.73 billion budget to the Board of Supervisors, he touted its proposed new spending on technology upgrades to make government more responsive and efficient, beefed-up law enforcement, city beautification efforts, and programs that support low- and moderate income families and the homeless.

But as the board wraps up hearings this week and prepares to vote on the spending package, it appears that the biggest winners stand to be San Francisco's city government workers.

Newsom's budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 would increase total spending by $387 million -- with the majority to cover salary increases for a growing city government workforce and health and retirement benefits.

It's pretty amazing considering San Francisco lost 37,307 people between the 2000 Census and July 1,2005.In the private sector someone would cut the budget when a customer base declines.In the public sector,government workers vote for politicians who want to expand the budget.