Los Angeles voters Tuesday approved a ballot measure to create a lower level of benefits for newly hired police officers and firefighters.
Measure G passed with more than 73% of the vote in the citywide election. It will apply to public safety workers hired after July 1.
It sets a slightly lower benefit for employees retiring at 20 years, requires that employees contribute slightly more to their pension and adds a requirement that the new employees deduct 2% of their salaries to fund retiree health care. Current employees get a free ride on retiree health care.
Short-term savings would be modest. In the official ballot statement, chief administrative officer Miguel Santana said Los Angeles will save an estimated $152 million over the next 10 years, “assuming the city continues to hire public safety employees to maintain its current workforce.”
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who supported the measure, celebrated its passage in a statement Wednesday.
“I hope the City Council now takes the next step to address our pension liability by passing civilian pension reform,” he said.
