TW: This story encapsulates so many things that are wrong with our country economically. The issues include at least:
1) What is the TARP meant to do? This mayor asks for $14 billion from the TARP, yes one mayor, San Jose albeit a major city but also one in a relatively affluent area. Politicians are chirping for money for just about any and every thing all of it to come from the increasingly infamous TARP.
2) Unfunded pension obligations- the mayor mentions San Jose apparently has $1.6 billion of unfunded retiree health benefits, again one city. This is a huge problem on two levels:
A) as you may know companies and government entities funnel cash into pension plans to fund future benefits, they put the cash into stock, bonds etc., as these investments go down in value (like say this year) they need to funnel even more cash into the plans in order to keep them solvent. Expect a flood of government and private firms issuing warnings about the need to
increase funding for pension plans, this will be yet another drag on earnings going forward.
B) Local and state governments during the relatively flush times of the past 20 years have written promises to their employees that they cannot keep. Somebody will have to pay for all of those fat pension/health benefits issued to the police, teachers, garbage haulers, office clerks etc. These plans are grossly underfunded and this lack of funding is separate from the massive deficits already existing at the federal level.
3) Infrastructure-San Jose like most of the rest of the country badly needs infrastructure investment but since they have spent their money on say pension benefits and who knows what else they do not have the money to fund it.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10989042?nclick_check=1
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