Worth noting: Arnold hot to change 3 at 50
| Monday, Jun 29 2009 05:19 PM
Last Updated Monday, Jun 29 2009 05:19 PM
Among the latest budget ideas flowing from Sacramento these days is a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to revise the state's lucrative 3-at-50 retirement benefit.
Attached is a PDF of his proposal; click on the blue box at left to get it.
Note the Sacramento Bee's story said it would affect state workers hired this Wednesday or later:
In addition, Schwarzenegger is asking Democrats to establish a far less lucrative retirement plan for state employees who are hired after Wednesday. The plan would roll back for newly hired employees pension enhancements that lawmakers and former Gov. Gray Davis approved a decade ago. The plan, if approved, would not affect the retirement plan of current state employees.
Also note it won't help with cash flow in the current fiscal year, but is expected to save a chunk ($74 billion) through 2040.
Bakersfield police and fire departments have the 3-at-50 pension plan. Councilmembers Zack Scrivner and Ken Weir have set their political sights on killing it off.
Might Arnold do it first? Or is this DOA?
-- Staff writer Gretchen Wenner on the City Beat blog at Bakersfield.com/blogs.
FLOREZ VS. DENHAM, ROUND ONE?
Bee Capitol Bureau commentator Dan Walters says the dustup over remarks by Merced County Supervisor Mike Nelson about air quality may be an opening salvo in the 2010 campaign for lieutenant governor.
Nelson, who's a member of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District board, said during the May meeting that he tends to "tune out" when environmental activists address the board.
That drew protesters to last week's meeting.
Behind the scenes, state Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, sent Nelson a letter saying his remark created an "unwarranted level of hostility."
And on Monday, state Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, interceded on his behalf with a letter to the board praising him as "knowledgeable, accessible and reasonable" and labeling Florez's criticism as "self-serving."
With Lt. Gov. John Garamendi running for Congress, the lieutenant governorship will likely be vacant next year. Florez and Denham are potential, even likely, candidates.
-- John Rich on the Fresno Bee News Blog political notebook.
