Gordon Webster Jr.

While the debate has raged for quite some time, now more than ever, it's clear government should always be run like a business. All it takes is a nearly $28 million budget hole to make that apparent. 

The City of Fresno is in dire straits as it faces $18.2 million in actual and projected lost revenue as well as an $8.6 million increase in expenses projected through 2011, mostly for retirement costs. 

Some city employees (mostly in public safety) receive in pensions more than twice what their positions paid in salary. And through the city's Deferred Retirement Option Program, some employees in their 50s can begin collecting their pension payments into an investment account while continuing to work.

Granted its tough to find and keep good employees, but these sorts of pension plans (a product of too-powerful unions) are what makes government jobs infinitely more attractive that private-sector jobs. And that's why government continues to grow as private employment remains stagnant.

Of course private employers can create any sort of package to lure good people, but it has to be backed up by market conditions and revenue. But with government, the only thing backing pension packages is our tax revenue. And that picture looks fine and dandy when the economy is at full bore. But now, public pensions are dragging the general fund down.

As a results, a lot of good businesses have fallen. But in government, it means lost services and higher taxes. And we all suffer unless government takes a page from business and lives within its means.

Would you support a ballot item to reform the pension mess? Click here to learn more.

Tags: business sense | budget deficit | public pensions | City of Fresno