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Sample letter to your representative on Court of Appeal decision on pension reform
People have asked for ‘pointers’ on letters to be sent to your representatives in the ‘call to action’ letter I sent regarding the recent First District Court of Appeal decision on reducing employee pension benefits. Below is a letter with the proposed points to cover – in your own words. At the top I have listed email addresses for our representatives.
I think it might be wise to send the CA State Court of Appeals decision. A pdf file is attached so that you can attach it to your letter.
- Governor Jerry Brown: governor@governor.ca.gov
- Rep. Jared Huffman - https://huffman.house.gov/contact/email-me
- State Senator Mike McGuire: senator.mcguire@senate.ca.gov
- Assembly member Marc Levine: assemblymember.levine@assembly.ca.gov
- District 1 Supervisor Damon Connolly: dconnolly@marincounty.org
- District 2 Supervisor Katie Rice: krice@marincounty.org
- District 3 Supervisor Kate Sears: ksears@marincounty.org
- District 4 Supervisor Steve Kinsey: dkinsey@marincounty.org
- District 5 Supervisor Judy Arnold: jarnold@marincounty.org
Dear: Supervisor (Sears, Rice, Kinsey, Arnold, Connolly OR State Assemblyman Marc Levine OR State Senator Mike McGuire OR Congressional Representative Jared Huffman OR Governor Jerry Brown,
As my elected representative (in - name office), I strongly urge you to read the decision just handed down by the California State Court of Appeals in the case of the Marin Association of Public Employees (MAPE) v the Marin County Employees Retirement Association (MCERA), in a suit brought by the union members to continue the practice of spiking their income and retirement benefits.
In its decision, the Court challenges the California Rule, stating “(W)hile a public employee does have a ‘vested right’ to a pension, that right is only to a ‘reasonable’ pension — not an immutable entitlement to the most optimal formula of calculating that pension.”
A link to the decision CLICK HERE.
There is great concern and anger among your constituents, the taxpayers of California. We have seen our taxes rise, our services diminish, our schools decline, our infrastructure crumble and our futures threatened.
Now is the time to represent those who put you in office. We will hold you to your commitment to serve our best interests, beginning with your full support of this opportunity to create a sustainable public pension system. If not, we will remember your actions, or lack thereof, at the next elections.
Much can be done without new legislation, as evidenced in this court decision.
You owe it to us and to future generations to correct this flaw that has weakened our State, counties and cities. The unfunded debt continues to rise with no end in sight. It must end now.
I look forward to your response and to your active support of the findings of the California State Court of Appeals.
SIGN WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS SO THEY WILL KNOW YOUR DISTRICT.