Poor Career Choices

As a native Californian, I am appalled that my career counselor at high school did not inform me of the lucrative careers and pensions available working for the State or local government.

Bruce Malkenhorst, a city of Vernon retiree with a $499,675 annual pension.

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District chief, Craig Bowen, retired last December at age 51 with an annual salary of about $221,000 a year. His annual pension is $284,000.

The Moraga Orinda Fire District chief, Peter Nowicki, turned a $185,000 annual salary into a $241,000 yearly pension at age 50. Then Nowicki went back to work for the district on a five-month contract at $176,000 a year, collected on top of his pension.

In retrospect, I should have worked either in finance or the fire department.