Two
topics merit ink this week: a new two-year agreement with nearly 100
city workers continues to increase the dollars employees contribute
to their pension plans, and a record has been set for spending by
political action committees in City Council elections.
For
several years – through June 2013 – both the employer and
employee portions of pay-ments to the state Public Employees
Retirement System for full-time, permanent city employees were paid
by the city as part of negotiated compensation.
But
beginning July 2013, employees started contributing 2.5 percent of
salary for pensions, a figure that jumped another 2.5 percent to 5
percent beginning July 2014. Payments will increase another 1
percent this July and 1 percent again July 2016, for a 7 percent
total.
The
city will continue picking up the remainder of the required
contributions, which can vary yearly, based on investment return,
actuarial assumptions and other factors, currently about 20 percent
of salaries.
Most
employees are labeled “classic members,” since they were hired
before Jan. 1, 2013. Workers hired after that date who are not
already plan members fall under the Pension Reform Act of 2013,
which sets specific contribution levels for public employees.
However,
Yorba Linda workers won't be taking home less money due to the
increased contributions, since they're getting a 3 percent pay boost
retroactive to Oct. 1, 2014, and another 1.5 percent hike this Oct.
1, under agreements recently approved by the council.
Most
employees also are receiving an increase to $1,130 monthly,
retroactive to Jan. 1, in a “cafeteria plan” benefit for health
insurance premiums, with any residual amount received as cash or
deferred compensation, a figure that jumps to $1,165 monthly next
Jan. 1.
The
agreements apply to 69 miscellaneous employees, 21 mid-management
workers and six managers and include dental, vision and life
insurance, vacation buybacks, bilingual pay, sick leave and 12 annual
holidays, among other benefits.
Last
year's busy election season, with recall and regular council
elections a month apart, drew a record number of dollars spent for
candidates and causes by two dueling political action committees,
based on state-required reports filed by a Jan. 31 deadline.
Biggest
spender was the relatively new Residents for a Better Yorba Linda,
with $73,569 to oppose the recall of Tom Lindsey and Craig Young in
October and support winners Lindsey and Peggy Huang in November. The
group raised $58,137 in cash, including developer do-nations, and
noted $15,726 in “unpaid bills.”
The
10-year-old Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Representation
initiated the recall drive and supported runners-up Jeff Decker and
Judy Murray on the November ballot with $49,794, raised from cash
contributions, loans and donated goods.
Add
the dollars raised by candidates and the total spent in 2014 was more
than $230,000.