Is anyone paying attention in San Diego? Is there anyone connecting the dots, using the statements that come out of the mayor's office; mistruths, lies, denials, "mis-statements", and the people effect of the mayor's statements and actions? When is the City Council going to stand up to the mayor and call him on the contradictions??? How much longer do City workers have to suffer the treatment of the mayor? Will the mayor be held responsible for the eventual death of a Police Officer due to staffing and experience?? You do understand I am talking about the LACK of staffing and experience right???
One of the mayor's mouthpieces showed up at City Council to tout three replacements to the SDCERS Board. The mayor was moving to replace two highly competent, educated, experienced, hard working, VOLUNTEERS in Bill Sheffler and Tom Hebrank (BOTH of whom were ready and willing to continue service to the taxpayers). These two knowledgeable men were intimately involved in the reform efforts SDCERS had taken to regain the footing and recoup the losses caused at the hands of past mayors and city councils. Bill Sheffler is an actuary by trade. He served on the Pension Reform Committee and knows more about the issues related to the UAAL, ARC, actuarial assumed rate of return and all that comes with the fiduciary responsibilities of a board member than the current mayor will ever know. More importantly, Bill Sheffler is an HONEST man. Tom Hebrank has spent years on the SDCERS Board putting the reforms in place to secure a system that will serve employees, taxpayers and retirees in the most efficient and cost effect manner. These two men are the poster perfect people the taxpayers deserve representing them.
Scott Lewis of the Voice of San Diego wrote; "Expertise and knowledge about what happened, apparently, is actually undesirable, though, to the mayor. I'm not the only one baffled by this. Sheffler and Hebrank have spent years trying to reform the way the pension board worked and they succeeded in part. They have just the right amount of experience on the board to really get us somewhere now."
During the City Council hearing related to the mayor's request to replace Sheffler and Hebrank, Carl DeMaio said; "We have years of experience in Mr. Sheffler and Mr. Hebrank. I just cannot see why it would be a good decision not to reappoint at least one of them if not both of them to the board and I think it's a big mistake we are making as a city, as a plan sponsor, to jettison that experience -- that institutional memory."
Lani Lutar, CEO of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association agreed, saying; "It's baffling to me that Mr. Sheffler is not being considered for reappointment to the retirement board when you consider his background and expertise as an actuary as well as his historical knowledge of the city's pension troubles."
Now comes the part that highlights the lapses in integrity and the ethical failures of the mayor and his office. His mouth piece shows up before council to lobby for the mayor's requested stacking of the SDCERS Board (AGAIN, another grab for control & power). To understand the mayor's thought processes you need to understand he is continuing his path to destruction of the pay and benefits of city employees. The mayor and his "team", I prefer the word "committee" because team would indicate a concerted effort to achieve a common goal. I know from personal conversations, with persons privy to information out of the mayor's committee meetings; MANY do not agree with the path of destruction set by the mayor. The sad reality is these same people are unwilling to speak up and to be fair to them cannot afford to lose their job. The mouthpiece was asked by Donna Frye; "Were there no other candidates who applied?" The reply was a quick; "To my knowledge, that is correct." Notice the words used? "To my knowledge" gives an out if anyone were to do due diligence and discover ANOTHER LIE coming from the mayor's office. The bottom line; the appointment of these sought out team player's of the mayor are all part of a bigger plan.
Here we have another CLEAR example of the mayor's vindictive, retaliation for a prior deed by Sheffler and Hebrank for refusing the mayor's demand they resign shortly after the mayor was elected. Sheffler and Hebrank also refused to appoint then City Attorney Aguirre as legal counsel for SDCERS. Thankfully these two men and their colleagues stood firm and did not cave in to the mayor. The mayor's mouthpiece hinted at this as the mayor's reason for replacing these two honest, hard working, VOLUNTEERS during his presentation, but stopped short of admitting anything. Go against the mayor and be ready for payback is the clear message here (I guess I should heed my own writings).
The mayor is angling to push through another attempt at a repeat of MP-1 and MP-2 and the underfunding of SDCERS. The mayor and his committee are working overtime on a plan to again short the payments to SDCERS (Read attached article). http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2009/05/01/government/289corridor042009.txt
The mayor is home popping his little blue pills to stay in the proper condition to continue the assault of the hard working men and women of this city. When will it end?
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