Police in California cities are extremely expensive once you factor in the low retirement age, generous pension plans and lifetime health benefits.<p>And SF&#x27;s particular flavor of idealism is carried to a remarkable extreme in the public arena.<p>The homeless (and others who are considered &quot;marginal&quot;) get the benefit of the doubt from the police and society in general, even when they&#x27;re pissing in the street.<p>This is a special kind of thinking which is specific to SF (and perhaps Berkeley and a small number of other cities). I don&#x27;t believe such thinking is part of progressivism in general.