President's Message
December 2007
SHOP WITH A COP
Our 6th annual “Shop With A Cop” event is quickly approaching this month. This is the event where we identify needy children in the communities where we work and take them on a shopping spree. We pair each child with a law enforcement representative and send them into a store to spend $250.00.
The goal this year is 500 children. That means we need 500 volunteers to go shopping with the children. We have four different dates and locations where the events are taking place. Find one that works for you and volunteer for this very worthwhile event. See you there!
3 AT 50 BATTLE IN ORANGE COUNTY
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is trying to take back a benefit that was negotiated for in 2001 with the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (AOCDS). That benefit is the 3% at 50 retirement formula and the retroactivity aspect of the negotiated contract.
AOCDS negotiated in good faith with the Board of Supervisors to obtain the benefit and now the Board wants to try and take it back. The main driving force behind this unwarranted attack is Supervisor Moorlach.
The arguments he has used to champion his cause are flawed and there have been at least two separate and independent legal interpretations of Supervisor Moorlach’s opinion and both have resulted in the same legal conclusion. He does not have any standing.
This is just another attack in a long line of attacks over the past few years that go directly toward our retirement benefits. We have fought these battles in the past and unfortunately we will fight these types of battles in the future.
Wayne Quint, the President of AOCDS came to our Board meeting last month, asking for financial help in this battle that has the potential to spread up and down the State if it is not shut down here. The SEBA Board of Directors authorized $25,000 to help with this fight. This is an important enough issue for everyone to get involved in. President Quint will be giving a presentation about this at the PORAC Conference, asking for additional financial assistance from other law enforcement associations.
AND THE ATTACKS CONTINUE – RICHMAN INITIATIVE
I have written about this one in the past but I think it is important to continue to inform you about this attack along with all of the other attacks on our pension benefits.
The initiative is in the signature gathering stages of the campaign. The California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility has been created to help raise the money needed to qualify the initiative. These are the same people who tried to cut our pensions and eliminate survivor benefits for public employees killed in the line of duty just a couple of years ago. 694,000 registered voters’ signatures must be collected by January, 2008 to put this damaging initiative on the ballot.
This latest proposal makes major cuts in pension benefits for all new employees and eliminates pensions and retiree health benefits for all new part-time employees. If you cannot work until the full retirement age, it eliminates any health benefits you could have earned. The cuts for new hires would be between 30 and 60%. That is a massive reduction in pension benefits that would only make things harder to recruit and retain qualified professionals in the fields of law enforcement, firefighting, nursing and teaching.
Tell your family and friends how anti-public employee this initiative is and ask them not to sign the petitions. It takes a team effort to continue to be successful against these attacks!
IVORY WEBB PROSECUTION BY MICHAEL SCHWARTZ
I have recently been contacted by President Cottingham from PORAC about the presentation that was given by Michael Schwartz, from the Law firm of Silver, Hadden, Silver, Wexler & Levine about the Ivory Webb shooting investigation and prosecution. There apparently were many SEBA members who wanted to attend the class that was put on at the PORAC Conference held in Palm Springs last month. Unfortunately, the way the conference is structured, it was impossible to meet the requests for attendance.
I have been in contact with Michael Schwartz about this and he has agreed to do a presentation for SEBA members and other interested law enforcement personnel in the very near future. This presentation will be an in-depth look at the prosecution of Ivory Webb, from the initial video through the trial and acquittal.
I am in the process of identifying a date and location for the event. As soon as that occurs, I will start sending out notices. Please call SEBA if you have any further questions.
And as always, last but not least, ”Stay safe out there.”
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