Your business tag line here.

Microsoft

Safety Retirement

By now, you may have seen the newspaper articles about Orange County Board of Supervisor John Moorlach’s challenge to law enforcement pensions. Plainly speaking, Moorlach believes that the current formulas for Safety Retirement are unconstitutional and should be rescinded. He backs up his argument with a legal brief that offers three reasons why the county should have no obligation to sustain the 3% penefit level of the AOCDS.

Whether his arguments are valid is debatable. His motive for challenging anything that would affect the deputy sheriffs in the county is not. He is a long time foe of law enforcement and has, since before taking his seat on the Board, challenged everything from their pay to the desire to contract to the lowest bidder as many law enforcement  (and other county) functions as possible.

Regardless, this issue is one of statewide concern. Where would it end? If government can successfully challenge all aspects of traditional pay and benefits for employees, why would they stop with 3%? Why not continue the fight for ridiculous “pension miracles” such as the 401k style plans they push now?

SCOPO has been at the forefront of pushing for legislation to enable better benefits to attract the best and brightest to our profession. Undermining those benefits now would serve to further inhibit recruiting in a market that is already desperate to recruit qualified candidates (there are over 15,000 law enforcement positions currently open statewide)

SAFETY RETIREMENT IN JEOPARDY?