Swim at your own risk

Newport Beach, California and 'out of money' didn't used to be synonymous, but that was before unionized public employees had their way; 

Newport Beach, California, where four ranking lifeguards earned more than the town’s $109,677 median household income in 2012, may partially disband its municipal ocean rescue to deal with rising pension costs.

The Orange County city of 87,000...is weighing bids from other governments and private companies for lifeguard services at Corona del Mar State Beach, which the municipality patrols.

.... With about 14 percent of Newport Beach’s general budget going toward employee pensions, municipal lifeguards may be a luxury the town can’t afford forever, City Manager Dave Kiff said by e-mail. The home of Pacific Investment Management Co. isn’t alone, said Michael Coleman, fiscal adviser to the League of California Cities.

“The escalating cost of pensions, especially public-safety pensions -- of which lifeguards are part -- is putting more pressure on cities,” Coleman said by telephone. “If this continues, we’re going to see more and more cities outsourcing these functions.”

What happened to 'a living wage' being all that was needed?