August 10, 2014
PLEASE READ AND POST
IT’S OFFICIAL! DEAD ON ARRIVAL!
VENTURA COUNTY PENSION ASSAULT INITIATIVE IS DROPPED!
Pension attack initiative in Ventura County designed to eliminate a Defined Benefit Pension for Public Employees including Firefighters and Sheriffs is off the table and will not go to the voters in November.
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kent Kellegrew ruled that the proposed “Measure L” sought to create a new state law where none existed, and was therefore a violation of the State Constitution and Government Code.
Measure L would have ELIMINATED a County Pension System established by state law and REPLACED it with a privatized system and even ELIMINATED defined benefit pensions for survivors of fallen firefighters, police officers and their families.
This victory is so important for Los Angeles County Fire Fighters and all Local 1014 members because it was not only on our literal border, but also designed to attack a 1937 Act Pension System which is the exact same laws and pension system type as our very own LACERA. What happened in Ventura could have had a lasting and ongoing effect on every one of us and our families.
Thank you to all of you and the Executive Board of Local 1014 who jumped in very early to help the Ventura County Firefighters Local 1364; long-time friend and ally to Local 1014, and other Labor Unions representing public sector workers in Ventura and Los Angeles County. We gave money, time, legal help and a commitment to be in Ventura County at each step of the fight to defeat this draconian, outside influenced, well-funded attack on all of us.
I personally called Ventura County Firefighter’s Local 1364 President Chris Mahon, who serves with me on the State Board of CPF and congratulated him on the Victory. We have had many conversations and meetings regarding this issue and as a result we are considering forming a 1937 Act County alliance to stay vigilant on all issues pertaining to our Pension Systems statewide with all Fire Unions affected.
The ruling issued last Monday was not official until a writ of mandate to urgent rule in final was considered and that is now done with a NO from the Judge and any regular appeal by the backers of the initiative will not be in time make the deadline of August 22nd to go to print with the initiative. Game over…For Now.
REMEMBER – this was a deceptive proposal to usurp state law and eliminate our pensions by anti-pension ideologues including the KOCH BROTHERS and the KOCH-SPONSORED AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY and billionaire venture capitalist JOHN ARNOLD, and if it made it to ballot would have been very well funded at a rate far beyond what we could raise to fight it. This may be gone for now, but the fight is far from over by any means.
Drop into www.cpf.org to view additional information and the judge’s ruling and CPF Fire Vision story on the issue.
Once again and on behalf of the entire Local 1014 Executive Board, thank you to the Membership for the support and backing that allows our Union to play hard and play heavy in all issues affecting our membership and our Benefits.
Fraternally,
Dave Gillotte
President
| Dave Lopez |
John Smolin |
Dave Morse |
| 1st Vice President |
Treasurer |
2nd Vice President |
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Directors |
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| Will Pryor |
Pat Dolan |
Lew Currier |
| Steve DeWitt |
Andy Doyle |
Alan McConnell |
cec.results.pdf
