The bankrupt city of San Bernardino, Calif., approved over $1 million in pay increases for police and firefighters despite claims it can barely make payroll, let alone afford the salary hikes, Reuters reported yesterday. Monday's pay increases, for a city currently under bankruptcy protection, are a result of its charter. It mandates that pay for safety workers must be tied to salary levels for 10 similar-sized California cities, all of which are wealthier than San Bernardino. Moves to have the city charter overturned, so the city can set its own pay levels, have failed to get the majority needed on the city council in the past year. San Bernardino filed for chapter 9 on August 1, citing a $46 million deficit for the current fiscal year and little leeway to meet day-to-day expenses, including payroll.
