Voters Would Decide on Pension Increases Under Proposed California Ballot Measure With Major Backers

The details of a long-awaited proposed ballot measure, spearheaded by former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, emerged this week.

The measure, which could appear on California’s 2016 ballot, would require voters to approve pension increases, among other things. Overall, the measure would likely cut pension costs for governments while making it more difficult to boost benefits for workers.

More details from the Associated Press:

A proposed ballot measure unveiled Thursday would aim to reduce government pension spending for state and local employees in the nation’s most populous state by requiring voters to approve new benefits.

The proposal would require voters to approve defined benefits for new hires and pension increases for existing workers. Voters also would have to green-light a government that pays more than half of pension contributions for new hires.

“We’re not making the decision on what type of plan will be implemented,” said [former San Diego Councilman Carl] DeMaio, now a San Diego radio host. “We’re simply saying, going forward, voters will have a seat at the table.”

[…]

“This is yet another destined-to-fail attempt to eliminate the retirement security of teachers, firefighters, school bus drivers and other public employees they have earned and agreed to in good faith at the bargaining table,” said Dave Low, chairman of Californians for Retirement Security, a group that says it represents 1.6 million public employees and retirees.

Soon, supporters of the ballot will begin collecting the 585,407 voter signatures required to get placed on the November 2016 ballot.