A big part of the challenge is the ability to AFFORD these services. Unions have a stranglehold on our government and years and years of oil industry funded fat cat contracts have created a level of expectation that is simply unacceptable in our current economic position. Politicians must be willing to truly represent the interests of the public going forward or we will continue to be stuck in this dilemma. No one has explained why we can't offer market competitive salary and benefit programs instead of attaching emotionally based appeals that redefine the playing field in these negotiations. We own a home in Homer and just in the past year we have seen a quantum increase in theft and vandalism on our property apparently  fueled by a shortage of jobs and drug addiction. Residents tell me they too have stopped calling local police after repeatedly being told there's nothing they can do. We've created the most lucrative social welfare system in the US then wonder why these people show up