WE HAVE UNTIL now withheld our endorsement on Proposition H, which would improve pension benefits for police and firefighters, on the grounds that the unions representing the cops and firefighters have been asking for more city money for years – and yet last year the two unions helped Pacific Gas and Electric Co. defeat public power, which would bring some cash into the city coffers.

But this time around, the two unions – as promised – have stayed neutral on Proposition D (not great, but not as bad as last year). And on its merits, Prop. H deserves approval. The plan would bump up the retirement pay for cops and firefighters, giving someone who retired at age 50 with 30 years of service 72 percent of his or her salary at the time of retirement (up from the current 60 percent). The benefits would rise until, at age 55, a public safety worker with 30 years of service could retire at 90 percent of his or her salary. The cost to the city: little or nothing, since the retirement system already has a huge surplus. Vote yes.