The following letter to the editor was published in The Beach Reporter newspaper (TBRnews.com) on Thursday, June 3, 2011 in the Letters section. The Beach Reporter has a strict 250-word limit.
Unsustainable
I wish to applaud and express support for frequent letter writer Michael D. Robbins of El Segundo. Mr. Robbins is exactly correct in his comments regarding the firefighter/police unions and the fantastic compensation packages they have been able to carve out of various ill-advised city councils in the beach cities over several years. Let it also be clear that I applaud the skill and dedication of most of the firefighter and police professionals. However, this unsustainable compensation policy has to be brought under control.
Bill Barks
Manhattan Beach