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O/�'� 2006 LEGISLATIVE YEAR from page 5 .................................. PENSION REFORM during the 2005 session, the administration- sponsored AB 1665 (Laird) and ACA 13 While pension reform stalled in 2005, the issue (Harman), as well as AB 802 (Wolk), all stalled. is by no means dead. In September In 2006, the issue of flood control and develop- Assemblymember Keith Richman introduced ACA ment in flood prone areas will definitely be a front 23, a"hybrid" version of the measures he intra burner concern. duced last January (ACA 5 and ACAX1 3). Those proposals incorporated the governor's plan, by Issues will include the status of levees in offering to new state and local employees only a California, whether flood insurance should be defined contribution plan (like a 401 k), rather the mandatory or voluntary, property owner notifica- defined benefit available to public employees today. tion, improved mapping of flood zones, liability, and development in flood prone areas. The latter Richman's new proposal would again apply to issue is the one that will be of most interest to both state and local agencies, but this time would and have the greatest impact on cities. The offer a defined benefit plan coupled with a defined League is participating in the stakeholder meet- contribution pension plan. He has stated that if the ings that have already begun on the topic of flood Legislature will not pass his measure, he will take it control and testified at a joint hearing of the to the ballot through the initiative process, probably Assembly Water Parks and Wildlife, Insurance for the November 2006 election. and Judiciary Committee earlier this fall. The League's Pension Reform Task Force met In order to thoughtfully participate in the this week to confer about the new Richman pro- legislative process, the League will form a work- posal, and to discuss the likelihood of legislative ing group of representatives from the League's action this year. The League's position on pension Environmental Quality and Housing, Community reform is that it must be based upon sound actu- and Economic Development policy committees, arial analysis of what approaches will demonstrate as well as other city experts. The working group cost savings to local government in the long-term. will evaluate the issues and propose guiding principles to the policy committees and League The League also supports the task force board for League staff to use as these issues recommendations, reached last spring, which state move through the Legislature. that any reform proposal should provide career employees with a fair retirement benefit that will Key to any proposal to improve the state's maintain their standard of living in retirement; and flood control system is funding. Thus, ACA 13, that defined benefit programs should be maintained which deals with storm water and flood control as the "central pension plan for retirees in Califor- fees and Proposition 218, is integral to any nia". legislative proposal. The entire League Pension Reform Task Force The League will be working with the adminis- report is available in the Issues and Legislation — tration, Assemblymember Harman's office and Employee Relations section of the League's city officials to build the necessary legislative website (www.cacities.org). support to move the bill out of committee, and to secure the finrathirds vote necessary to pass it in FLOOD CONTROL the Assembly and Senate and place it on the ballot. In this post-Hurricane Katrina environment, flood control and development promises to be one of the more lively topics of the 2006 session. While the issue was on the middle-bumer PAGE 6- PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Website--www.cacities.org November 18, 2005 - Issue #45