[mikester]

Public sector jobs should be about service and not huge salaries.

Honestly I'm not even that aware of jobs that pay these sorts of wages in the private sector outside of executive positions and seriously talented folks (not the fire fighters and police officers can't be talented).

You're run of the mill excellent worker in the private sector however is not making $200k a year, is likely salaried and not getting any overtime for the overtime they are worked. I've been there.

Plus to add insult to injury they aren't getting the pension or time off that these public sector folks are getting.

None of the fire fighters, police officers or other public sector workers I know drive Porsche's though there are quite a few who have nice cars. No problem with that (to be honest it is none of my business) but the public needs to be more responsible for their money than they have been in the past. My personal belief is that we should be offering public sector works in dangerous jobs excellent benefits, stability - which means they can't be fired without due diligence and reasonable salaries for where they serve. Finally, they should be offered a good pension and excellent disability and death benefits.

Sadly, living in California myself I see so many stories of public sector workers behaving like wall st executives - even in my own little town by the beach.