State Senate President Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John Perez
UPDATE: Governor Jerry Brown has held a press conference and issued a press release that is reviewed by the Sacto Bee here. But the actual bill has not yet been released — and will be voted on by Friday.
The Democratic leaders in the State legislature have announced they will finally introduce bills for comprehensive pension reform today. That’s more than 10 months since Governor Jerry Brown proposed his 12 point reform package. The June deadline to put legislation before voters this November was utterly ignored. Then on July 3rd, the Governor’s spokesperson Gil Duran told the press that Governor Brown and legislative leaders still hadn’t come to agreement and would need to negotiate over the July legislative break. “These complex issues cannot be resolved in two days, and he has asked the Legislature to continue to work with him over the recess to resolve the substantial differences,” Duran said.
Apparently these complex issues can be resolved in three days, because that’s all that’s left of the legislative session.
What’s at stake? Billions of dollars, the retirement security of millions of State and local public servants, the long-term solvency of State and local government and the credibility of the Governor and Legislature to enact their promise of comprehensive pension reform. How long will “legislators,” the public, the press and interested parties have to read, analyze and debate the proposals?
Three days.
It’s shameful.
Like most State legislators, we’ll all have to wait and see what’s been agreed to behind closed doors . . .
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When private industry employers raise health care costs, dole out pay cuts, minimize contributions of 401K plans and so forth, employees don’t get a chance to debate their bosses. Employees just deal with it or find another job. It may be shameful that this is a process condoned by private industry, but welcome to the real world.