CA: Grand jury indicts pension-spiking (Orange County public officials are unglorified crooks)

OC Register ^ | 6/30/05 | Op/Ed

[NormsRevenge]

Last August, when the Orange County Board of Supervisors was considering a union-sponsored measure to significantly increase pensions for county employees, Treasurer John Moorlach argued that the assumptions underlying the proposal were flawed and that the plan would soon cause a crisis that could rival the financial mess created by the 1994 county bankruptcy.

Others, including the Register Editorial Page and the Orange County Taxpayers Association, likewise warned against approving the deal, especially against the provision that would grant 62 percent pension increases retroactively to current county employees.

Supervisors Bill Campbell, Jim Silva and Tom Wilson voted in favor of the measure (with Chris Norby and then-Supervisor Chuck Smith voting no), and they criticized Mr. Moorlach. Don't worry, they insisted, the county can afford the new level of benefits.

There are times when there's little more one can say than, "I told you so."

--snip--

Ironically, Supervisor Campbell told the Register the report was "very accurate in describing the situation." But it was he who led the charge for the pension spike, allowing county workers to go from retirement at age 57 (after 30 years) at 50 percent of pay to retiring at age 55 with 81 percent of pay - benefits far higher than those enjoyed by the taxpayers who will have to pick up the slack for at least $114 million more each year.

County workers will find an interesting surprise in their paychecks, also, as younger workers get to pay far more each month so that longtime county employees can enjoy a retroactive benefit that they had never expected.

[NormsRevenge]

..Ironically, Supervisor Campbell told the Register the report was "very accurate in describing the situation." But it was he who led the charge for the pension spike, allowing county workers to go from retirement at age 57 (after 30 years) at 50 percent of pay to retiring at age 55 with 81 percent of pay ..

[EagleUSA]

was considering a union-sponsored measure to significantly increase pensions for county employees....
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Unions. This is why they are LIBERALS. Totally selfish, parasites upon the public, always self-serving. Without any care about those who pay the bills to keep their miserable existences alive....what a waste these people are.

[NormsRevenge]

[markman46]

geez OC is going to go the BK way again if they don't get it together