LA Voters To Decide 10 Ballot Measures Tuesday
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Los Angeles voters Tuesday will decide 10 ballot measures, including one aimed at cutting the costs of pension benefits for new public safety hires.
• Charter Amendment G would create a new pension system for new police and fire department hires, reducing the pensions from 50 percent to 40 percent of the worker's final salary at age 50 after 20 years on the job.
Employee contributions would increase by 2 percent to support health and pension costs for retirees. For those with 33 years of service, pensions would be capped at 90 percent of the worker's salary, based on his or her two highest salary years.
• Charter Amendment H would prohibit bidders on city contracts worth at least $100,000 from making campaign contributions and increase the amount of public money available for campaign matching funds.
• Charter Amendment I would set aside 0.25 percent of the Department of Water and Power's budget to create a watchdog office that would review rate increases and other DWP initiatives.
• Charter Amendment J would require the DWP to provide the City Council with more timely financial reports, so it can reliably gauge how much money to be transferred into the city's general fund each year -- a source contention in tight-budget years.
• Charter Amendment L would increase the amount of property tax revenue for city libraries from .0175 percent to .03 percent over four years, generating about $130 million per year.
• Proposition M would tax medical marijuana dispensaries at $50 per every $1,000 in sales.
• Charter Amendment N is aimed at bringing city law into line with federal law on campaign contributions by independent committees.
• Proposition O would enable the city to charge a $1.44 per every barrel of oil produced within the city limits.
• Charter Amendment P would require the city to increase its reserve accounts to 2.75 percent of the general fund and limit on how the money can be spent.
• Charter Amendment Q is aimed at updating the city's civil service rules, exempting deputy fire chiefs and limiting the number of applicants for some jobs, among other things.
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