What Jerry Brown gave lifeguards in San Diego, but not Oceanside

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed legislation Wednesday that would have granted enhanced disability benefits to Oceanside lifeguards, after approving such a measure for San Diego lifeguards two years ago.

The Democratic governor said in a veto message that costs related to the benefit have “increased at an alarming rate” and that he is reluctant “to extend this benefit further in state law.”

Assembly Bill 1451, by Assemblyman Rocky Chávez, an Oceanside Republican and candidate for U.S. Senate, would have added full-time lifeguards in Oceanside to a list of public employees who are entitled to a leave of absence at full pay if they are injured on the job. Those employees include peace officers.

Brown said in his veto message that if Oceanside officials want to offer the enhanced benefit to lifeguards, they can do so through collective bargaining.