What really bothers me about government unions is that they keep on sucking taxpayers dry, regardless of the outcome of their greed. Look at what happened in the past few months in the City of Vallejo, where the firefighters and police officers nearly drove the city bankrupt.
Here in Orange County, “a 2001 labor agreement between the deputies union and the county that increased pension payments by one-third and granted the benefit retroactively, bringing the average pension salary for retired deputies to $70,000 per year, by the estimate of county Supervisor John Moorlach,” according to the L.A. Times.
Yes, the O.C. Board of Supervisors made a very stupid decision to overpay the deputies ad infinitum even though the money would not be there in the future to pay them. In fact, “Moorlach believed the county could not legally grant the benefit because he said it violated the state Constitution’s prohibition on deficit spending, committing the county to $187 million more in payments in the coming decades than it had money to pay. He led the board to a unanimous vote in January to file the lawsuit.”
The L.A. Times is reporting that union leaders are upset because the Chairman of their pension fund, Reed Royalty (pictured at left), is also siding with the Supervisors on the pension issue. Royalty wears two hats as he is also the head of the O.C. Taxpayers Association.
Who cares what the union leaders have to say? Is Royalty doing his job as Chairman of the Orange County Employee Retirement System? It would be one thing if he wasn’t. By all accounts he is doing his job.
This issue is about muzzling Royalty’s free speech rights. It is funny how ostensibly liberal union bosses will overlook our right to free speech if the speech in question is not convenient to them.
The real issue here is not that Royalty is supporting the Supervisors’ quest to overturn a very bad decision. It is that the unions in question pushed for that bad decision and are sticking to it, even though it might eventually drive Orange County bankrupt. Again.
Royalty actually wrote a pretty good opinion piece about the pension disaster, where he informs us that “general (non-safety) county employees will be able to retire at age 55 with over 80% of salary.” How many of the rest of us will be able to retire at 55, with 80% of our salary? None of us most likely!
What about the deputies? For a deputy earning $70,000 a year at retirement, the change meant the difference between a pension of $35,000 a year and one totaling $52,500 a year. Take a look at your Social Security statement and see what you are going to get when you retire.
Kudos to the O.C. Supervisors for standing up for the taxpayers. Too bad the 2001 Supervisors did not do so. We elect our Supervisors, so they can stand up to, not bow down to, special interests. Kudos to Royalty for bravely voicing his concerns even though the unions don’t like it.
Well Art, this is why I have an absolute aversion to unions. (One of the many reasons) Remember too that it’s the unions that are the engine of the D party. To heck with reason, they want what they want, and will do whatever they can to get it. It’s also the root of the recent “home school showdown” in Sac. when the state hasn’t the funds to fully fund the school systems. The very same mentality has taken over in the elected representatives in offices everywhere.
Reason and responsibilities have nothing to do with reality. If they have their way, we will all be slaves to the unions, working for nothing more than to fill the union retirement and benefit funds. As well as paying their current wages, for dubious services provided. Historically we all know how well managed those retirement funds are, and the quality of those who do so.
Art,
Even though he does not represent The OC, please post for your readers Darrell Issa’s stupid comments on 911. I think your readers would consider it a public service.I am certain your readers would enjoy them.
As a member of the Retirement Board Royalty has a fiduciary responsiblity to manage that system for the benfit of the current and future retired employees (mostly county, but also Fire Authority, City of Anaheim and San Juan Capistrano I believe). As the spokesperson for the developer backed Orange County Taxpayers Association he apparently feels compelled to speak out and support any legal means to reduce retirement benefits of public employees. If this is not conflicting enough, add into the mix that it is the Retirement Board that is being sued by the county in an effort to reverse the enhanced retirement benefits for Sheriff’s Deputies, and Royalty as a member and Chairman of that Board will lead the Retirement Board’s defense strategy in that lawsuit. Sort of like having the UCLA Football Coach being the lead referee in the annual UCLA-USC Football Game. In other words, does not pass the giggle test. Royaly should step down from the retirement system Board, and if not the Board of Sup’s should find the fortitude to remove him. Then Royalty can continue his anti-public employee retirement benefit campaign with impunity (though with less opportunity to engage in dirty tricks).