It would depend upon where you lived. Some new states would prosper. Others would crash. I would not want to live in the state that included Los Angeles or San Francico.

“The percentages have greatly increased in the last six years partly because revenues everywhere have dropped sharply.”

No. It’s because salaries and benefits for public safety personnel have increased in the last 6 years. If the make cops and firefighters pay bigger pension contributions they just offset it by giving them bigger salaries and health care benefits. So at best it’s a wash. But most cops and firefighters are making more than ever in 2014. That’s because the unions own the politicians. It’s a corrupted, rigged system.

I would be totally in favor of Cali splitting into 6 states. But as in Scotland, the ruling class would never allow that to happen. Any attempt would be blindsided in one way or another by the oligarchs.

Kinda.

It’s hard to get good numbers. Everyone has their own agenda. Typically 70 to 80% of the budget is personnel costs. Safety and all other city personnel.

That would be the general fund budget, which is typically 60 to 70% of the total budget. Which people tend to forget.

Which makes personnel costs usually less than half the total budget. But where’s the fun in that?

The percentages have greatly increased in the last six years partly because revenues everywhere have dropped sharply. Still a bargain.

Maybe if we split California into six states that will help?

The glass is at least half full.

“The Scots blew it.”

I think the younger generations voted “yes”, Bob. It was the disproportionate older generations that voted “no” because most of them are attached to the gubmint teat in one way or other and were afraid that they would lose their transfer payments if they separated from England. The old people are screwing the young people all over the world. Not just in America.

The last California election in June had turnouts of about 15%. How could you possible get people to vote on seccession? Given a choice between voting and watching American Idol, 8 of 10 Americans would turn on the tube. Americans are the most apathetic ignoramouses on the planet. The average American would have his gold fillings extracted from his teeth and mail them to IRS if ordered to do so by Obama. Compared with the colonists – we are a bunch of spineless cowards.

I could count the number of house fires that I’ve seen in my life on one hand, seesaw. There hasn’t had a house fire within 2 square miles in my neighborhood for 15 years. House fires are exceeding rare. Under 1% of homes ever catch fire. Homeowners insurance doesn’t just cover fires, dear. Your premiums depend on many many factors. I would expect someone your age to already know that. You should read your policy or speak to your agent occasionally about it. Fire service has VERY LITTLE to do with your premiums unless you live in the woods. In that case your premiums SHOULD be sky high.

In 90% of cases when someone has a heart attack at home they are brain dead before the paramedics even arrive. Most people don’t survive a heart attack. It takes at least 4 minutes for the paramedics to arrive. Without oxygen for 4 minutes the brain is already dead. In your case that might not matter. So if I ever sucuumb to a heart attack I would rather just have the mortuary pick me up. Screw the paramedics.

I have already left instructions not to put me on life support. So I would save my family loads of money. I am not selfish like you pensioners who rob the younger generations.

“…very little of your tax dollars actually goes to police and fire…”

You’re misinformed. Research it. Some cities spend as much as 75% of their budgets on public safety. It’s a scam. All public safety should be outsourced to the private sector. We’d pay half the amount and the quality of service would improve.

And we should have PRIVATE PARAMEDIC COMPANIES to handle medical emergencies like that. We could downsize the fire departments by 80% and save HUGE AMOUNTS of tax dollars.

The RAWGI would never permit this.