L.A. May Block Pensions of Some Valley City Workers

L.A. May Block Pensions of Some Valley City Workers Politics by Jacqueline Fox Representatives of Valley VOTE, the group spearheading the secession drive, say they are getting warm and fuzzy feedback from city employee unions regarding its proposal for transferring workers to a new San Fernando Valley city. But while the group’s plan calls for protecting every existing city position, they say they’ve been told by Los Angeles city officials that, because of sharp staffing shortages in the police and fire departments, those workers would have to forfeit their pensions if they decide to transfer over. Valley VOTE has proposed to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), the state agency crafting final terms and conditions for a split, that all L.A. city workers currently stationed in the Valley be given the first “invitations” to work for the new city. Valley VOTE President Jeff Brain claims the city thinks this is a good idea. But only civilian employees, according to Brain, would be allowed to leave and retain their pensions. However, Brain said, because of state laws regarding reciprocity for union workers, LAFCO would have the final say over the impasse because it has the authority to intervene when state and city laws collide. “LAFCO has the authority to say you will have reciprocity, or we (LAFCO) will simply divide the pension funds and those who are vested would be able to take their accrued pensions with them,” Brain said. “LAFCO can say you must make the pensions portable.” Hahn spokeswoman Julie Wong confirmed that LAFCO and Valley VOTE were told police and fire workers are barred from taking their pensions with them if they go to work for another city. But she said the rules are part of the City Charter and an effort to retain its trained police and fire units. “It has nothing to do with the current shortage everyone is hearing about,” Wong said. “If we had more than the number of employees in those departments than we needed, the rule on pensions would still apply.” Valley VOTE has also proposed that any workers who transfer to the new city be given five years to change their minds and go back to Los Angeles with their pensions intact. Brain said, while union leaders are some of the loudest opponents to their plan for transferring employees, many of the rank and file workers seem to feel differently. “We are hearing from employees in every department saying they are interested in working in the Valley,” Brain said. And, during a March 7 negotiating session between Valley VOTE, the city and attorneys for both camps, the city claimed it did not have to relinquish state or federal grants it expects to receive for 2003 for Valley-specific programs. Brain said his group was told any federal or state money earmarked for the Valley would be returned to the agency from whence it came. Funny thing is, Brain said, the city might just have a hard time figuring out what to return. He said Valley VOTE asked the city to provide the group’s attorneys with data indicating how much of state and federal grant money actually flowed to the Valley in 2001. “We were told there was no record of that,” said Brain. In fact, he said, one city representative indicated that “a lot of it stays downtown.” That’s fine fodder for secessionists, who say the city has long shortchanged Valley residents. Valley VOTE is proposing that the new city, should voters approve its formation Nov. 2, apply for its first grants in 2003 for 2004. Making the Rounds Mayor James Hahn made the rounds in the Valley last week, announcing a new online business permitting program that ultimately, he said, would allow applicants to apply for and receive their business permits within hours instead of weeks or months. He followed that up with a visit to the Encino Town Center to announce a new citywide Business Improvement District Service Improvement Plan, and later dined on chicken and vegetables at a Woodland Hills Chamber of Commerce luncheon, where he served as keynote speaker. Announcing the new business permit program, Hahn said, “We’re going to make it so wonderful that you wouldn’t ever want to think about leaving us.” Unfortunately, Hahn didn’t appear to have quite as much time on his hands when he spoke at the Public Hearing on Special Reorganization March 9 in San Pedro, where a drive for a breakup is also underway. Hahn stood before the LAFCO panel and attendees and, according to Brain, “gave a long speech about how much he loves San Pedro,” then left the hearing before other public speakers could voice their own comments. According to Brain, had Hahn stuck around, he’d have gotten an earful about his departure. “Several speakers came up to the podium afterward asking, ‘If he likes it here so much, why doesn’t he stick around?”‘ said Brain. Hahn and City Council President Alex Padilla also drew criticism at the first public hearing on secession in the Valley last summer when they were allowed the first two speaker slots and then left immediately afterward. Jacqueline Fox is the politics reporter with the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. She can be reached at [email protected].