Some board members may have benefited from underfunding (San Diego Mayor)

[Quetzal]

Some board members may have benefited from underfunding

When San Diego city officials scrambled to avoid a massive balloon payment to an ailing pension system in 2002, they persuaded the retirement board to allow continued underfunding of the system in a deal in which several board members saw their retirement pay increased.

The deal also involved two retirement board members – the city's deputy auditor and the president of the politically powerful firefighters union – voting for an arrangement in which they received extra benefits tailored to their unique employment circumstances.

Today, the overall deal, approved in November 2002 by Mayor Dick Murphy and a City Council majority, is seen as a key contributing factor to a $1.17 billion pension deficit that has sparked downgrades of the city's credit ratings, launched federal investigations and made national headlines suggesting San Diego is on the brink of bankruptcy.

more...

Some board members may have benefited from underfunding

I might as well learn about what is going on in San Diego since I will be moving there in a month.

Apparently, Mayor Dick Murphy is a Republican.

[Trish]

1. Now for the bad news....

The only democratic mayoral candidate we had in March is largely unqualified.
I'd like to get some stats on how our city is changing, as we have some great councilwomen, councilmen, and congressional and assembly candidates/incumbents.
I think we are undertaking a political shift here in San Diego that is slow going...remember the Naval and Marine bases here.
Anyhow, Aloha and Welcome (in advance) to San Diego!
:)

[clonebot]

2. jim bell

i remember that guy - he hung out a city deli in hillcrest. it was nice to have a democrat on the ballot but you're right - he really wasnt up to the job. i would have prefered to see a race between murphy and peter davis - but in the end the mayor can do little more than hire and fire some key officials and cast tie breaking votes for the council. and i don't think murphy's 'strong mayor' (mayoral run city i.e. nyc, chicago, etc..) initiative is going to pan out with the pension problems.

you're correct though - alot is changing here. im always a fan toni atkins. she's pretty down.

[Quetzal]

3. thanks for the cordial "Aloha"

I hope I find a good space and job up there.

One more Kucinich voter for San Diego :-)

[haele]

6. Former Councilwoman Donna Frye is running on a write-in

She's a solid "D" Democrat from the Mission Valley/Clairmont districts and she's got both a successful business and serious environmentalist creds behind her as well as familiarity with city politics. She was also the lone dissenting vote two years ago when the City Council voted to increase benefits and not contributions in the city's pension system, so she's very familiar with the current financial mess the city is in.

If I still lived in San Diego proper than out here in East County, I'd certainly be voting for her for mayor this time.

Haele

[Trish]

4. I like K-nich

Helped out with other Kucinich supporters here in SD during the primary. I also would have enjoyed a Davis/Murphy runoff...but alas no. Toni Atkins is very cool.
Right now I'm volunteering for Patty Davis (78th AD Candidate) we have a good shot!
:)

[clonebot]

5. were you around when

christine kehoe had her seat on city council? she wasn't bad either