SAN DIEGO: Mayor Jerry Sanders proposed a new pension plan for city workers yesterday as he pledged two weeks ago, and continued to pressure the San Diego City Council to put the measure on the November ballot.
The council deadlocked 4-4 on Sanders' earlier pension reforms, but Council President Scott Peters is showing signs of reconsidering his opposition, by scheduling Sanders' proposal for a July meeting.
The hybrid system, a mix of a conventional pension and a 401(k)-type plan more common in businesses, would apply to nonpublic-safety city employees hired after July 1, 2009. Sanders suggested it would be “trailblazing” and reduce city costs by $53.6 million over the first 11 years.
Joan Raymond, president of the city's blue-collar workers union, said it would leave “our workers jackhammering in the streets when they're 70 years old because it's the only way they can get a decent retirement.” –M.T.H.
Bills would help veterans
facing housing crisis
CHULA VISTA: Yesterday, Rep. Bob Filner and Chula Vista Councilman Steve Castañeda decried the housing crisis as the worst since the Great Depression.
They spoke on a Chula Vista block where seven upscale houses had “bank-owned” signs.
Filner has introduced two bills to help veterans – many who live in his district, which includes Chula Vista – to ease restrictions on home-loan guarantee programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
One, HR 4884, would eliminate equity requirements for refinancing and reduce funding fees for refinancing a home loan to 1 percent. Currently veterans must have 10 percent equity in a home to refinance through the VA. The other, HR 4883, would prohibit foreclosure of property owned by a service member for one year following a period of military service.
“We're trying to keep people in their homes,” said Filner, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. “The VA has a special obligation to our Americans. We have to honor our veterans.” –T.S.
Voters might decide
on pay raise for officials
SAN DIEGO: The San Diego City Council, which raised its pay then rescinded it last month following a public outcry, is poised to give voters the final say on salary.
A council committee voted 4-0 yesterday to recommend that the full council ask voters to raise mayoral and council pay in November and tie future increases to the salaries of state Superior Court judges, now $178,789 a year.
Council pay is currently $75,386 a year and the mayor's salary is $100,464.
Council President Scott Peters, who is running for city attorney, missed the meeting. Council members Donna Frye, Ben Hueso, Jim Madaffer and Tony Young voted in favor of sending two proposals to the council.
Madaffer and Young support the mayor making 100 percent of judicial pay and council members earning 75 percent, or $134,092, a year. Frye suggested a more gradual approach, still linked to judicial pay.
Madaffer, who will leave office in November because of term limits, would be off the council when the raises took effect, but Frye, Hueso and Young could see pay increases starting in July 2009. –M.T.H.
Same-sex marriages set
to begin June 17 in state
Barring a judicial stay, same-sex marriages will begin June 17 in San Diego County and statewide.
County Assessor-Recorder-Clerk Greg Smith, who issues marriage licenses for the county, said the state informed him of the date yesterday afternoon.
The date was selected because the state Supreme Court has until the close of business June 16 to decide whether to issue a stay of its May 15 ruling allowing the marriages. Opponents of same-sex marriage have requested the stay as they gather signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would ban same-sex marriage.
The county has five locations – downtown San Diego, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Kearny Mesa and San Marcos – where couples can get married. Offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The Kearny Mesa office is also open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
The county doesn't make appointments, although Smith said he is considering such scheduling for June 17 in anticipation of a flood of couples showing up at his door. He plans to release further details later this week.
Forms for same-sex marriages, and all marriages, will say “Party A” and “Party B” in place of “Bride” and “Groom.” –C.G.
Staff writers Matthew T. Hall, Tanya Sierra and Craig Gustafson contributed to this report.
