Brent Jacobsen (Newport Beach Lifeguard Management Association)

“We have negotiated very fair and very reasonable salaries in conjunction with comparable positions and other cities up and down the coast...well within the norm of other city employees.”

Jacobson's talking about the salary of California lifeguards.  I'm sure everyone finds it "reasonable" for city lifeguards to make $100-$200k...That's per year, by the way.

According to Jacobsen it's just part of being a California public employee:  "well within the norm of other city employees."

And the giant cash-suction doesn't end when these employees retiree:  "Lifeguards are able to retire with 90 percent of their salary, after only 30 years of work at as early as the age of 50." - Brian Calle

$100,000-$200,000 per year is bad enough, but how ridiculous is it for lifeguards to get $90,000-$180,000 per year during retirement?  Lets play with numbers:  If a 50 year old lifeguard lives to be 80 he will suck $2.7 million-$5.4 million out of the city...Not a bad gig if you can get it.

Just a little something to keep in mind when California and its equally money-strapped cities say they have to raise taxes to pay for teachers, police, fire, etc. (not that they don't have crazy deals, as well) or let them go.

No wonder so many Americans are fed up with public employees, and the giant suction noise they leave behind.