Gather forces, stick together, get out the truth

A retired public employee states truth about pensions. Average annual pension in California: $26,000.

Submitted by Ron Cottingham
President, PORAC

San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s so-called “Pension Reform Act” has everyone at the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), alarmed.

Reed has had local success with his pension initiative and is now joining with out-of-state billionaires to change a long standing California policy concerning our pensions that serves their own agenda.

Ron Cottingham, the president of PORAC, is a 40 year veteran of the law enforcement profession.

It brings back memories of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s failed anti-public employee initiatives in 2005 as well as the battle over Proposition 32, whyich was handily defeated in 2012 by the citizens of this state. If it passed, Proposition 32 would have prohibited unions from using payroll-deducted funds for political purposes. Political donations would be completely voluntary and could only be made with the written consent of each employee.

Public employee pensions have been making headlines for a decade. The truth is we have made significant compromises at the bargaining table and these actions have resonated with the public.

As recent polling has shown, Mayor Reed and his allies have minimal support at best. It is encouraging that the outpouring of support from our friends and neighbors continually outweighs the agenda of the “one percent” whose sole interest is fattening their own bank accounts.

It is unfortunate these same people are wasting our time again. California citizens have grown weary of these ugly attacks on public employees. 63% of those polled oppose public employers unilaterally cutting retirement benefits. those opposing the cuts cut across party, age, gender, racial and geographic lines.

These opinion polls should prompt proponents of this initiative to question the wisdom of their decision to spend millions on this fight. Even the gathering of signatures will be a costly endeavor. California has teetered on a two-thirds Democratic majority in both houses since the 2012 anti-public employee effort was defeated. Our entire roster of Democratic legislators have a track record of siding with public employees.

As we move forward, it’s important not to panic. And there are things we can all do. Don’t sign their petitions as they stand outside the supermarket or coffee shop. Talk with your friends about the true repercussions this measure will have not just on the hard working people who provide for their safety but on their lives as well.

If we gather our forces, stick together, and get out the truth, Chuck Reed and his rich out-of-state friends will be defeated.

Ron Cottingham is the president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) and a 40 year veteran law enforcement professional.