Inland to the coast, north to south, the financial
impact of public pensions is drawing intense scrutiny
across California. For
newsies, it's the story that keeps on giving. For budget-balancers, it's a source of red ink and for anti-union activists, it's a reason to trash collective
bargaining.
From Kurtis Alexander in the Fresno Bee: "For every dollar Fresno County spends on pay, it
will
spend another 53 cents on pensions in the next budget year, making
the
retirement system here the most expensive among 20 county-run systems in the
state, a new survey finds."
"And despite efforts to rein in costs, Fresno County
is
unlikely to see its pension bill shrink for 15 years, a county-commissioned
study says."
Los Angeles, meanwhile, is considering a charter amendment to roll back some
benefits for police and fire fighters, reports the LAT's David Zahniser.
"Charter Amendment G on the March 8 ballot represents the
first major effort by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the City Council
to rein in those costs. But even some supporters of
the proposal, which would
affect new hires at the police and fire departments
exclusively, say it is too
timid a remedy for the city's pension woes."
"Under the current system, firefighters and police
officers are eligible to receive a yearly pension equal
to 90% of their
salaries if they have worked 33 or more years. That setup would remain if
voters approve Charter Amendment G — a fact that troubles some who have lobbied
for more sweeping changes. "We were pushing for it
to be closer to
70%, 75%," said Sam Garrison, vice president of public policy
for the Los
Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
And in Sonoma County, the cost of public pensions is
entering new territory, notes the Press Democrat's Brett Wilkison.
"For the first time in decades, and likely in its entire
65-year past, the fund’s retirees now outnumber its active workers. Retirements
last month pushed the number of pensioners to 3,792, while current employees
affiliated with the Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Association total
3,754."
"The system now enters an era that experts say
brings increased investment risk and the likelihood
of higher pension
contributions for taxpayers and smaller gains from
pension overhaul. The tipping point, spurred in recent years by large
reductions in the county work force, is common for
pension systems that have
been around for 50 years or more, pension officials said."
Not everybody is doom and gloom, however: Scores of public entities raised pension benefits, reports CalPensions' Ed Mendel.
"After the stock market crash punched a big hole in
their CalPERS investment funds,
a new report says 26 local government agencies reduced pension benefits
— but
nearly 200 cities, counties and fire and water districts increased
pension
benefits.'
"A report issued last week by a bipartisan state watchdog,
the Little Hoover Commission, said 13 local governments boosted pensions for
police and firefighters to the well-publicized “3 percent at 50” formula said
by critics to be unsustainable."
Amid all the turbulence of the political battles over
pensions and budgets, the state could use a few brave Republicans, notes LAT pundit George Skelton.
"The conservative icon (Reagan) admonished the party
activists: "We cannot offer [voters] a narrow sectarian party in which all
must swear allegiance to prescribed commandments. Such
a party can be highly
disciplined, but it does not win elections."
"This kind of party soon disappears in a blaze of glorious
defeat, and it
never puts into practice its basic tenets, no matter
how noble they may
be." The California GOP, in recent years, has been proving Reagan
right."
And to end on a positive note, we unlock the bulging
cabinet containing our "Sex and the Brits" file to read about a proposal from a former member
of Parliament requiring pornographers in England to
finance sex education in the schools.
"Ms Smith, who claimed Commons expenses for two lewd
films
watched by her husband, has investigated the porn business
for a Radio 5 Live
show being aired on Thursday night.
She told the sex industry: ‘Put your money where your
mouth is. Fund real sex education in schools, promote
safe sex and invest in
relationship counselling for those who can’t tell the fantasy from reality.’
"But David Turtle, of anti-porn group Mediawatch UK,
retorted: ‘The adult entertainment industry is only concerned
about its
profits. It’s naive to think it is going to be effective in helping
teenagers
who are at risk from this material."
Where do I sign up?...
