Union, San Jose at odds over police pay

The San Jose Mercury reports:

San Jose police officers say they're among the lowest paid in the region and that the department can't fill job openings because recruits bolt for better salaries and benefits elsewhere.

City administrators say San Jose already pays its cops better than any other big city, including New York, where a recent recruiting trip attracted 500 applicants.

Those dueling assessments come at a critical stage in city negotiations with the San Jose Police Officers Association, whose contract expires at the end of the month.