San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi held a press conference today on the steps of City Hall to announce he has collected 60,000 signatures for his pension reform proposal and to offer a compromise to Mayor Ed Lee. Photo by Luke Thomas.
By Luke Thomas
July 6, 2011
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee today rejected an offer of compromise from Public Defender Jeff Adachi over pension reform
Adachi, who is preparing to submit a 65,000-signature petition to the Department of Elections by July 11 to qualify his pension reform proposal for the November ballot, said during a press conference today – and in an email addressed to Mayor Lee – he is willing to withdraw his initiative if the Mayor and the Board agree to a compromise over annual savings.
“Mayor Lee spent several months crafting a plan that will bring real pension reform and real savings for San Franciscans,” said Mayor Lee spokesperson Christine Falvey in response to FCJ inquiry. “Now that Mr. Adachi is coming in asking for a last minute change is indicative that there are problems with his proposal. Mayor Lee’s proposal has been thoroughly vetted. Mr. Adachi’s claims of savings are, at best, questionable.”
“Mayor Lee has no plans to amend his real reform pension proposal based on Mr Adachi’s email today,” Falvey added.
Both Adachi and the Mayor are sponsoring competing pension reform proposals that are expected to go before voters in November in an effort to correct a structural imbalance between pension costs and city revenues, an imbalance which has forced the city to cut city services and layoff public workers year after year to make up for spiraling pension costs.
As they stand, the mayor’s “consensus” pension reform proposal seeks average savings over the next four years of $76 million per year, while Mr. Adachi’s proposal, the Reform Act, seeks up to $128 million in average annual savings over the same period. Over ten years, Mayor Lee’s proposal would save the city $750 million; Adachi’s proposal would save $1.25 billion.
In the compromise offer, Adachi said he would withdraw his ballot initiative if the Mayor and Board of Supervisors agree to increase the average annual savings in the mayor’s pension reform proposal from $76 million to $110 million.
Asked why he is offering a compromise, Adachi told FCJ, “We’re not trying to merge the proposals. We’re trying to change the mayor’s proposal in a way that would make our proposal unnecessary.”
“I think it is necessary for our city to come up with one proposal, but it’s not in our interests to support a reform measure that’s phony,” Adachi added, referring to the mayor’s proposal. “All I care about is that we get this done right so that we don’t have to come back again. I think that’s in everyone’s interests.”
Upon learning that the mayor rejected his overture for a compromise, Adachi told FCJ, “Mayor Lee says his proposal is better because it has been vetted, but by his own admission, his proposal doesn’t begin to come close to solving the pension problem. Two months ago he said that we needed a $300-$400 million annual solution, and he’s now introduced a proposal that will save less than one-seventh of that in its first year. We’ve offered a compromise that will save close to $100 million a year, and will save over $50 million more a year that can go towards protecting basic services for residents.”
Since his offer has been rebuffed, Adachi said he will file his signature petition as planned.
More Info
Mr. Adachi’s letter to Mayor Lee:
Dear Mayor Lee,
As you know, San Franciscans for Pension Reform, a citizen-led organization of business and community leaders, has been collecting signatures to place the San Francisco Pension Reform Act on the November ballot. We have already collected 60,000 signatures from registered voters and plan to collect 5,000 more before the July 11th deadline.
As you are aware, our City’s pension costs are projected to rise by $400 million in the next four years. We believe that the current proposal, which you introduced, must be strengthened so that we don’t have to come back again and fix this problem in a few years. When it comes to pension reform, we need to do it once, and do it right.
I am submitting a compromise proposal to you that will increase the savings to a level higher than your plan. While the savings are less than the Reform Act, the cost savings from employee contributions will increase from $56-$91 million to $97-$123 million. This plan will help protect basic services, jobs and will ensure that our pension system is sustainable.
If these changes are made, San Franciscans for Pension Reform will be willing to withdraw our measure and join with your measure. Please contact me at [phone # redacted] if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Adachi.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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The Hunger Site
July 12, 2011 at 3:47 am
was at a coffee shop and I saw a cop drinking coffee next to his patrol car. I thought it would be a perfect time to see if it was true, so I asked the cop if it was true if they were harassing petitioners. His response to me was something like this:
” I’ve had to deal with pension petitioners recently, and I could care less if he’s trying to get his petition signed. Whatever happens with pension reform is just going to happen. If Adachi doesn’t get enough signatures this time, he will, when he tries again. This is a never ending story. In regards to pension reform, cops and firefighters will be looked at every year, and every year, there’s going to be someone, if not Adachi, who is going to make us look greedy, overpaid and underworked. That’s just the way it is and I’ve learned to live with it. Everyone has the right to their own opinion about how much we make and how our benefits are. I believe I worked hard to earn this position, and I work for what I make. It’s not the easiest job responding to everything negative the world has to offer, but it is what I signed up for and I accept it. However, I understand the economy is bad, therefore police officers and firefighter should try something to help the city budget problems.
Regarding the guy trying to get petitions signed, there’s nothing wrong with it. I know you think he’s doing it because he REALLY believes in his cause, but in actuality, he gets paid $2.00 for every approved signature he gets. And he might actually believe in the cause, I really don’t know. And you know what? I don’t care if he’s doing it only for his personal gain, he’s got to make a living somehow. At least he’s not out there trying to rob someone. That part I can respect.
But I’m not here talking to him and asking him to leave because he’s doing something that’s going to affect my paycheck. As far as cops go, we’ve been working with the city every year for cuts, and every year, we work something out to give back to the city. I’m use to my paycheck being on a roller coaster. It a sign of the time and I don’t expect it to get any better anytime soon.
However, when Safeway, Walgreens, mall security, etc… call the police say,” Yeah.. there are petitioners on our property and we don’t want them here. This is private property and they need to take it somewhere else. They’re disrupting our business and shoppers complaining that they’re being aggressive to get my signature. On top of that, customers are leaving to go other places to spend their money to avoid these petitioners. (PERSONAL NOTE: I actually ran into an aggressive petitioner myself. He looked almost homeless and followed me to my car… I was like “WTH” if I wanted to listen to you, I would have stayed. I’m leaving and get away from me!)
Being a reasonable complaint from a shopping center, I have to respond and ask the person to leave on behalf of the business. If the petitioner doesn’t want to leave, and the business representative wants to push the matter, they usually requested to sign a citizen’s arrest for trespassing.
Now you tell me, is that harassment or is that a cop doing his job? I will say, the time I dealt with the petitioner, I was very firm when I said, “Leave or I’ll take you to jail!” And I had to say it that way because I really didn’t want to arrest him for something this trivial, so hopefully it scares him enough to leave. And it worked. No one went to jail, the store manager was happy, and the petitioner went somewhere else where he found himself more welcomed. Some people might call it harsh, so go ahead and call me the bad guy. I don’t mind looking like the bad guy to make everything work out better for all involved. I’m use to it. When we catch a homicide suspect or burglar, people tend to say, “It’s about time they caught someone.” And if we don’t catch anyone, people say, “Those lazy cops. Go catch a criminal.” Lose-lose situation. It just the way people feel about the police. I won’t ever be able to change it, so I just do my job the best I can, and hope someone appreciates it.”
BACK TO ME… So the cop told me all this in the span of about 10-15 minutes, then said something on his police radio and told me he had to leave because he just got call. But he did say that he took the time to tell me all that so maybe someone would understand what the deal was, because he has heard about people complaining about cops harassing petitioners. After talking to the cop, I had newfound respect what he has to deal with.
I still think they are making more than they need and can make do with less pay, and pension system that doesn’t make them millionaires. But I will say, I not going to judge them for what they do until I get a chance to ask them why they do what they do.
I thought I would just pass along my experience because the cop took the time to tell all that and it seemed like he was a good cop and he wanted to tell his story. The least I could do is pass along his story.
July 9, 2011 at 8:22 am
I’m surprised Herrera hasn’t dug up yet another specious rationale to harass signature gatherers and deny folks their right to vote. It’s coming, we’re already a second rate corporate oligarchy and could soon be sliding into third.
GO GIANTS.
July 7, 2011 at 8:46 am
Cop threatens to arrest petitioner,
Just talked to a young guy collecting signatures by the federal building on 7th and he said that a cop in uniform hassled him at the Safeway in the Marina. He told the cop to take a hike and the cop wanted to arrest him but when he phoned it in the cop was told that it was too bad but that he couldn’t arrest him.
This amounts to racketeering under the color of authority, the kind of thing I’d expect in a third world country but not in San Francisco.
Giants win in 14th on 2nd Schierholtz homer of nite.
h.
July 7, 2011 at 8:35 am
Yes, the City’s unions are hell bent on destroying the City and why should they care since most don’t live here. Police and Fire have been exposed as greedy thugs who don’t think SF residents should have any say in what they are paid. They are grossly overpaid by any measure.
The City is a fiscal mess- thank goodness we have ONE elected official with a spine.
July 7, 2011 at 8:12 am
The “City Family’s” pension reform-lite is the result of city employees negotiating with city employees. Note that “The City Family” does not include the people who pay the bills – the ordinary not politically connected San Francisco taxpayer.
July 7, 2011 at 7:50 am
Adachi’s “base” is city taxpayers, not bullying, parasitic union members.
July 6, 2011 at 11:56 pm
apparently Adachi is an a-hole for facing up to fiscal reality: at the rate we are going paying overpaid cops and firefighters and Muni employees we cease to become a city and become a jobs program for people who couldn’t cut it in the private sector.
Wow.
SO PROGRESSIVE
Frak the unions. they could give a shit about providing services to people. they are greedy parasites!
July 6, 2011 at 10:42 pm
Jeff, This is getting rather tiresome. You severely pissed off your base last year with Prop B. Now you are doing it again. What the heck is the matter with you?
Sure there needs to be pension reform. Fine, we all get that. But the way you are going about this is truly dumb. You aren;t just pissing off the labor and SEIU and the trades. You are pissing off thousands of folks like me who think you are out-of-control.
Stop it now.
Rick Hauptman
July 6, 2011 at 9:34 pm
Cops and firefighters getting ugly,
I’m just assuming the guy was a firefighter but I was there and one guy listened for awhile and then left while shouting over his shoulder: “Who’s gonna put out the fire when your house catches fire?”. Folks, that’s some scary shit.
I’d heard that the Adachi petition gatherers had been harassed by union thugs too and asked Adachi if that was true. He said that not only was it true but that he’d received reports of police officers in uniform confronting his people.
Kids, this is waaaay out of line.
Stand up for democracy by signing the petition.
And then?
Adachi for Mayor!
h.