There will be required payments into the pension by employees, no more free medical benefits for life and no more abuse of the disability retirements. Until now, cops and firefighters could retire on a disability if they were unable to do their CURRENT job. Now they have to actually be disabled to get the benefit. These scam disability retirements not only cost taxpayers up front, but under CA law the pension remains tax free for life. They retire at age 50, get 90% of their final earnings plus 3% raises for life, and they pay no taxes on it. Yup, that had to go.
We need major reform to all public pensions. The taxpayers have paid enough. These people no longer work for less wages than private industry, they work for significantly more. They cannot expect the public to pay for huge pensions on top of that. 3% at 50 has to go! 2% at 65, if and only if, the employees make their own pension contributions. And don't cry that we will not have anyone wanting to be cops or firefighters. Announce a test under the new rules then stand back while they stampede to get the jobs.
Posted by FedUp, a resident of the Amador Estates neighborhood, on Jun 7, 2012 at 12:31 am
When is Pleasanton going to start reforming their pension system? How can we continue to fund outrageous pensions of $150K+ per year? Do you know how much $$ it takes to build up a nest egg capable of paying you $150K in retirement income? For a 30 year career, it's over $45K/year you must save with a 5% return per year. I'm sure these city employees are putting nothing close to that in as their contribution.
This needs to be reformed like San Jose - if folks want these Cadillac pensions, they need to contribute signficantly more.
Posted by steven, a resident of the Parkside neighborhood, on Jun 7, 2012 at 6:53 am
I work much harder for my 32K than any of our incompitant union public school teachers who work half daze and half year's for there 125K. And what do we get for it? More unfounded liabilities and unsustainable futures. If they want a pension paid for by real Americans, let them work for them, stand up to being fired, and pay for them themselves.
Posted by steven, a resident of the Parkside neighborhood, on Jun 7, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Steve can only correct grammer errers. He never attacks the issues. But he's my hero just the same.
They had union controled schools in Nebraska when I was growing up. But my pappy took me out and home schooled me. He hated the incompitent teachers who tried to turn us all into Stalinesques.
Posted by Voter, a resident of the Old Towne neighborhood, on Jun 7, 2012 at 11:20 pm
Unions caused manufacturing companies to move overseas.
Unions have dramatically cut into the ability for states to fund education because pensions are costing the states far too much.
Unions in the public sector means many people retire at around age 50. This means governments (meaning taxpayers) must fund a position, plus simultaneously pay massive pensions of 4-6 people who held that particular position before they retired.
Union wages in the public sector are greater than comparable jobs in the private sector.
Posted by PleasantonTaxpayer, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jun 7, 2012 at 11:52 pm
Let's just say there are improvements around the edges in some places. Pleasanton is a LONG way from fixing excesses.
Slowing the revolving door at the top would be good for starters....ending the contrived promotions with tier boosting which ups the forever pay scale for retirement 'calculations'. It does seem our officials would have the knowledge of the practice.....,making them complicit in the conspiracy against us taxpayers. Then a realistic retirement age, in line with 21st century lifespans. Throw in honest realistic 'contributions' to medical vs the tiny token last time the only served to insult taxpayers.
Then we can start working down the list of excesses.
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