From SD News Room…
Five provisions of Proposition D, the San Diego sales tax increase, were challenged in court Thursday with a lawsuit filed by Richard Rider, chairman of the San Diego Tax Fighters, and political activist Stephen Cicero.
The proposition calls for a half-cent tax increase once the following benchmarks are accomplished:
* eliminating retirement offsets for elected officials and unrepresented city employees
* reaching agreement with labor unions over how to implement the voter-approved managed competition program
* completing a cost neutrality study of the Deferred Retirement Option Program, or DROP
* soliciting bids for the outsourcing of the Miramar Landfill
* eliminating terminal leave for all city employees
* reducing retirement offset costs for city employees represented by a union
* lowering retiree health care costs
* soliciting bids to out-source the remaining information technology services
* creating a second-tier pension plan for firefighters
* starting a lower-cost voluntary 401(k)-style pension plan for employees
The lawsuit claims Prop D is inconsistent with the requirements of the Elections Code, the California Constitution, and the San Diego City Charter. Defendants include City Clerk Elizabeth Maland, Registrar of Voters Deborah Seiler, Mayor Jerry Sanders and members of the City Council.