Mayoral Candidate Carl DeMaio has made pension reform his top priority – and has completely refocused his campaign’s energies on signature collection efforts. He has spent the past three months logging hundreds of hours in front of supermarkets, street fairs and other events – helping collect signatures to put his Comprehensive Pension Reform (CPR) Ballot Measure up for a public vote in the June 2012 election.
In preparation for the final push, DeMaio will continue his “Signature Storms”, add volunteer “Signature Walks”, and will participate in a KUSI Special on San Diego Pension Reform. DeMaio and the CPR team need to collect more than 95,000 signatures from registered San Diego voters by the October 14 deadline.
“I am not waiting to be Mayor to get things done – and reforming unsustainable and indefensible pension payouts for city employees is my top priority,” noted DeMaio in explaining the significant investment of his personal time in collecting signatures.
At a typical “Signature Storm” in front of a store, DeMaio and his team usually collect more than 500 signatures – and DeMaio personally interacts with roughly 1,000 San Diegans to hear their concerns and answer their questions. The addition of “Signature Walks” on September 10, 17 and 24 are expected to bring in thousands of additional signatures and the September 15th KUSI Special on San Diego Pension Reform will increase awareness to the importance of CPR.
DeMaio’s increased efforts come as local government labor unions have continued waging an unprecedented opposition campaign using deceptive radio ads and paid “blockers” designed to scare and intimidate voters away from signing the petition.
“We cannot allow the government labor unions to block pension reform – and I’m prepared to do everything I possibly can to ensure that San Diegans have the right to vote on reforming the pension system in this upcoming city election,” DeMaio concluded.
DeMaio co-authored the Pension Reform Ballot Measure and is part of a broad-based coalition of taxpayer, business, and neighborhood groups working collaboratively to qualify and pass the measure.
MEET UP WITH DEMAIO THIS WEEKEND:
Saturday, 9am to Noon: Paradise Hills Ralphs, 3011 Alta view Dr.
Saturday, 1p to 6pm: Clairemont Vons, 4725 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
Sunday, 10am to 4pm: Navajo Albertsons, 5185 Waring Rd.
Monday, Noon to 5pm: Mira Mesa, Albertsons, 10740 Westview Pkwy.