We should know how much we are paying people with our money, period.
California Assembly mum on golden-handshake offers to aides
By Jim Sanders - jsanders@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, April 11, 2008
In the wake of claims by Assemblyman Hector De La Torre that taxpayers could be ripped off by golden handshakes offered by the Assembly recently, the lower house has decided to keep its data secret.
The Assembly balked at releasing any financial projections or analysis of the offer it made last month to sweeten pensions of up to 222 aides if they retire this year.
Assembly Chief Administrative Officer Jon Waldie, responding to a request by The Bee, said the Legislative Open Records Act does not require release of legislative memos or correspondence to lawmakers.
This year's golden handshakes were identical to an offer made in 2002, which Waldie called successful but had no data on money saved.
Waldie called this year's plan a foolproof way to save money by creating vacancies. Roughly 20 percent of eligible employees participated six years ago – and he expects the same this year, he said.
"There's going to be a savings," Waldie said. "There's no doubt about that."
To fund the padded pensions, the Assembly expects to make a payment of about $1 million into the state's retirement system. If the tab turns out to be higher, the Assembly would foot the bill, Waldie said.
Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association said the viability of the golden handshakes depends partly on future earnings of the $1 million, which makes release of Assembly projections essential.
"You've got to know what you're committing taxpayers to in the future," he said. "This is a legislative body that doesn't give a rat's behind about the taxpayer."
