League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Stanislaus County, CA November 8, 2011 Election
	Measure S Advisory Vote City of Modesto Advisory Vote Only Pass: 14,822 / 63.33% Yes votes ...... 8,581 / 36.67% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure S

Arguments Against Measure S

Should the City of Modesto: Seek retirement formulas that increase employee retirement age to mirror the private sector retirement? Yes or No. Modesto values its employees. We should foster a system that encourages the most valuable, experienced employees to remain in active employment with the city. Highly trained and experienced employees should be compensated for their skills and encouraged to continue to serve the City of Modesto rather than an early retirement. At a time where public funds are most scarce we should not continue with policies that create an economic incentive to leave active employment early. If we do not make this change, then the City of Modesto will have to turn to increased taxes or reduce services to fund the costs of public pensions. This advisory measure will encourage future councils to consider policies which would encourage Modesto's most experienced employees to continue on in employment with the city to ensure taxpayers receive the maximum benefit from their experience. Please join with business groups, taxpayer advocates, and residents of Modesto from all avenues of life in supporting this measure to encourage policies which will bring the retirement age of public employees into line with the private sector. /s/ Brad Hawn, Vice Mayor City of Modesto /s/ Cecil Russell, President and CEO, Modesto Chamber of Commerce /s/ Dave Thomas, President, Stanislaus Taxpayers Association /s/ Janice E. Keating, Former Modesto City Councilmember Rebuttal to Arguments For This is a solution looking for a problem. It is difficult to ask older public safety employees to be front line defenders. The risk and liability costs are too high. Different jobs require different skills and different jobs have different effects on people and their physical ability to perform. Special equipment, like that required for emergency personnel, can add as much as 100 additional pounds to one's weight. Age requirements are essential. Retirement age is a complicated issue. No one wants to be forced out of work, but there are some jobs that have physical requirements that some people cannot perform. Hawn and the proponents are offering simplistic sound bite solutions to complicated problems. We have had enough of sound bite politics. Brad Hawn and the City of Modesto refused to hold committee hearings and conduct a financial review of this measure. They want the true cost to taxpayers hidden. Beware of politicians who say "trust us" instead of giving facts and figures. Vote no on Measure S. /s/ Adam Christianson /s/ Susan Azevedo, Businesswoman /s/ Tim Tietjen, President, Modesto City Firefighters Association /s/ Will E. O'Bryant, Former City Councilman /s/ Doug Ridenour, Sr., Police Sergeant

As President Reagan once said, here we go again! Measure S is another costly overhyped meaningless election. The city of Modesto and its employees have already increased the retirement age for city employees including police, managers road workers, clerks to firemen. In addition, the pension formulas were recalculated to lower the cost to taxpayers. So why Measure S? The politicians who have presided over the recession, the home foreclosures, the loss of jobs and the collapse in revenue to pay for city services are looking for someone to blame. It is irresponsible and poisonous for them to take this approach. But these are politicians who put themselves, not the city taxpayer first. City officials and city employees have made significant progress on pension reform. As a state we have more to do, but let's not let ambitious do nothing politicians undermine the progress we have made to date. Ask yourself this question: Why would Mayor Ridenour and Councilman Hawn rush these measures to the ballot without any committee review or analysis? They claim to have worked on this for seven years, but had to race to get it on the ballot. More excuses are not what we need. Send do nothing politicians a real message. Vote NO on Measure S! /s/ Laurie A. Smith, President, Modesto Confidential Management Association /s/ Antonio Arguelles, President, Modesto Police Officer's Association Rebuttal to Arguments Against Measure S simply asks whether the retirement age of Modesto's public employee should be in line with private sector employees. Modesto cannot afford to pay for city employees to retire as early as 50-years-old. The unfunded liability of our current public employee pension system exposes taxpayers to enormous risk and could lead to higher taxes or sever cuts in services. Vote YES on Measure S. Join with business groups, taxpayer advocates and residents of Modesto from all avenues of life in supporting a fiscally responsible Modesto. /s/ Paul R. Piazza, Insurance Agent /s/ Mark Cushway, Business Owner /s/ Richard Nelson, General Contractor /s/ Richard Hustus, Businessman /s/ Hope Shackelford, Secretary