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CAUJERS SETS UP PENSION DEBATE INFORMATION CENTER Confused about pension reform? The Califor- nia Public Employees' Retirement System (CaIPERS) has launched a special Web resource on proposals to privatize State and public agency pensions. "The Pension Debate Information Center is intended to educate CalPERS members on existing programs and possible changes., said CalPERS in a January 18 announcement, refer- ring to the governor's proposal as well as ACA 5 and the Howard Jarvis initiative filed with the Attorney General. "We have received many member and em- ployer requests for information about this topic. This new Web resource - the Pension Debate Information Center - will help our members stay abreast of developments and get information from CalPERS experts and others outside the System,. said Robert Walton, CalPERS Assistant Executive Officer, Governmental and Administrative Ser- vices. The Pension Debate Information Center includes research papers, fact sheets, CalPERS documents, and comparative studies of defined benefits and defined contribution plans. To use the resource, visit www.calpers.ca.gov, select "About CaIPERS: and "Pension Debate Information Center" under the "What's New. link. CalPERS is the nation's largest public pension fund with assets totaling more than $180 billion. The system provides retirement and health ben- efits to 1.4 million State, school, and local public employees and their families. For more informatioo 00 ttis and other League issues, visit www.cacities.org. 'ð - J43 LEGAL UPDATE from page 1 .......... Enforceability of Recreational Releases The League recently filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the California Supreme Court urging the Court to uphold the enforceability of a recreational releases because ofthe liability protection that the releases provide to municipalities who offer recreation programs. The League thanks Don Margolis, Deputy City Attorney, City and County of San Francisco, for writing the brief on behalf ofthe League. The name ofthecase is City of Santa Barbara v. Superior Court (Janeway), No. S127097. Property Tax Refunds Not Required A court of appeal recently affirmed a trial court decision concluding that county assessors may "recapture. property taxes above Proposition 13 's two-percent inflation cap in years where property values increased to offset previous years where property values were either flat or decreased. This decision is consistent with a previous ruling by another court of appeal (County of Orange v. Bezaire). By upholding the ruling, the court of appeal relieved the county of having to refund millions of dollars and enabled local governments to continue to provide vital local services. The League thanks Andrew Freeman, Deputy County Counsel, San Diego and Jennifer Henning, Litigation Coordinator, CSAC for writing the brief on behalf ofthe League and CSAC. The name of the case is Titus v. County of Marin, No. A103960 (1st Dist. Jan. 14,2005). Copies of recent filings are available at: www.cacities.ora/recentfilinas. Following guideline changes relating to the League's friend-of-the-court participation that were adopted in 2002, typically briefs are filed on behalf of the League rather than on behalf of joining cities. To request League amicus assistance visit: www.cacities.ora/reauestamicus. For more information about the League's Legal Advocacy Program visit: www.cacities.ora/leaaladvocacv. PRIORITY FOCUS/PAGE 3 Visit the League's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org