San Diego Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio was on hand as 145,027 signatures were submitted to the City Clerk to qualify the Pension Reform Ballot Measure. DeMaio offers the following statement on this milestone in his ongoing efforts to achieve pension reform:
“San Diegans hit City Hall with a record-breaking number of signatures reflecting their demand for an end to outrageous pension payouts in city government.
This pension reform measure is the centerpiece of my plan to fix the city’s financial crisis – and I chose the initiative process because I’m not waiting to be Mayor before getting this reform done.
Two months ago our campaign was short on signatures, but the aggressive opposition tactics used by the labor unions helped awaken the public to the signature drive. In the past four weeks we were inundated with signatures from across the city – reflecting the intensity of public support for pension reform.
I applaud the tireless work of so many volunteers and supporters who produced what we expect to be a record-breaking number of signatures to qualify a ballot measure. I also extend my gratitude to my coalition partners, including Mayor Jerry Sanders, for their hard work and dedication to achieving this important milestone.
This signature drive reflects how I will tackle the city’s problems as your next Mayor. I will build consensus around common-sense reform. I will reach out to all parties to build a coalition to advance reform. And instead of simply paying lip-service to reform, I will personally commit all of my energy and action to actually achieve reform.
While we celebrate the end to the signature collection phase of this campaign, we must still pass this measure in June. I pledge to continue to make pension reform my top priority and look forward to working with San Diegans to impose these changes on city politicians at the ballot box.”
In the face of unprecedented efforts by government unions to block the signature drive, DeMaio had largely put his mayoral campaign on hold to help lead the signature gathering effort. DeMaio personally spent more than 200 hours standing in front of San Diego shopping centers collecting signatures himself, and aggressively raised funds and mobilized volunteers to carry out all aspects of the signature drive. For more information on the Pension Reform Ballot Measure, visit www.CarlDeMaio.com
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From the campaign, as well…
Pension Reform Group Turns in 145,000+ Signatures to Qualify Measure for Ballot
Initiative expected to qualify with “record number” of signatures
San Diego — Comprehensive Pension Reform (CPR) for San Diego announced that the campaign turned in 145,027 signatures to the City Clerk’s office this morning to qualify the Pension reform measure. 94,346 valid signatures are required to place the measure on the June 2012 ballot.
“This is a great day for San Diego,” said Mayor Jerry Sanders. “We have now put in the public’s hands the ability to end San Diego’s pension problems once and for all. This initiative puts San Diego on the front lines of pension reform nationally.”
“San Diegans will finally have their say on pension reform,” said City Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer. “This issue will now be squarely where it should be — in the hands of voters.”
“Today is a huge step forward in our efforts to reform runaway pensions in city government,” said City Councilmember Carl DeMaio, co-author of the measure. “Getting here took a lot of hard work, and countless San Diegans, to produce what we expect to be a record-breaking number of signatures to qualify this measure.”
“I am thrilled that this measure is on its way to the ballot box, where the people of San Diego can decide once and for all the merits of pension reform,” said Lani Lutar, President and CEO of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, co-author of the measure. “I’m honored that so many San Diegans put their name on the line for the future of San Diego.”
“We are so proud of what our team has accomplished — from Mayor Sanders, to the Lincoln Club of San Diego County, to our colleagues on the City Council, and the countless volunteers who made this possible, we are grateful for the tremendous support this city has shown for Pension reform,” said T.J. Zane, Chairman of Comprehensive Pension Reform (CPR).
For more information about Comprehensive Pension Reform for San Diego, please visit:
http://www.RealPensionReform.com.