Councilmember DeMaio issued the following statement regarding the proposed sales tax increase:
“Until pension reform is implemented, San Diegans can continue to expect chronic budget deficits and service cuts. This tax hike is not a solution to fix run-away pension costs. It’s a blank check tax increase on working families that will end up delaying reform.”
Comments 5
First step-City Council no longer recieves retirement or medical benefits.
Poway Roger,
Would you, as a government employee, also be willing to give up your retirement and medical benefits?
If not, what would you be willing to negotiate?
Everything is up for negotiations. When you are employed by the private sector, benefits are negotiated. Benefits can be negotiated away in the public sector too. The question what would I be willing to negotiated is open. But since contract negotiations aren’t going on, I can’t say.
But you failed to even address the question that I imposed-Getting rid of benefits for elected officials. Why must they receive benefits? Why should we pay a politician retirement benefits? They should get elected, do what they came in for, and leave. Do you support benefits for politicians and if so, why? It’s been said that the only way to get qualified people to run for office is to pay them well. Well, I’m still waiting for quality people to serve. We’re in a mess because of politicians (It’s the politicians that agreed to these labor contracts that we are complaining about. No one forced them to approve them) and I don’t see why they should get paid more or receive benefits.
Dear Poway Roger,
Elected officials are doing a job, are they not? Council members, or any elected official, have to make a living just like you or me, and they need the same kinds of benefits, especially if their position is a full time job.
Your statement: “It’s been said that the only way to get qualified people to run for office is to pay them well.” Remember, an elected official had to convince the electorate that they were qualified for the position.
I understand your frustration if those elected officials don’t happen to do exactly what you want or make decisions you do not approve of. Granted some bad pretty decisions have been made by our council members in the past (That’s a whole topic.) and will probably in the future, unfortunately. So, what makes you think that denying elected officials the same kinds of benefits we receive will make a big difference in the decisions they make? Do you really think that qualified people would be willing to run for office if there was not decent pay and benefits?
Would YOU go into a job or public office without benefits…any benefits? You say “what would I be willing to negotiated is open.” You have a government job now. What would you be willing to negotiate for the greater good of your City?
The question I think you are getting at is “reasonable and appropriate compensation” for public officials. This would also include retirement benefits. First, I would look at the PROCESS for determining such before making any rash rush to judgment on compensation and benefits for public officials. I would also look at the PROCESS for negotiating labor contracts. If negotiations are done well, it is a win-win situation. Strong, knowledgeable negotiators on both sides make for good agreements, both in industry and public office.
Politicians should not make holding elected office into a career. They should come in and get the job done. No, I’m not talking about term limits either. I’d also like to see a part time council, which would force them to rely on another job. As we must know, the staff does most of the work and research. Regarding benefits, quite often what these elected officials get are sneaked thru, and of course if the public is aware, only a few will actually complain.
As I stated, and I will again, Politicians should not make holding office into a career, just no need for benefits, but if they are getting benefits, it should be inline with the benefits that they are approving for government employees. No special deals. Same benefits that the employees get.
I volunteer in my community and I put in a lot of hours in it. Should I expect my city to provide me benefits (Medical and retirement) because of my hours of community service? No I don’t. So why should politicians expect benefits for their community service? What if I compare my hours of community service to the hours that a member of the council puts in and find that I actually do more than they. Would that justify me getting benefits?
We hear much talk that labor agreements are part of the problem with government budgets. Let us not forgot that it’s politicians that approved these agreements. Let us not forgot that their benefit package tends to stay below the radar. Personally, I don’t see how politicians can vote on a labor agreement if they are receiving a benefit package. The real problem is that people “expect” much. Maybe politicians should not expect a benefit package.