O.C. Supervisor John Moorlach absolutely hammered Nick Berardino, the head of the O.C. Employees Association (OCEA) in his December newsletter, according to the Pension Watch blog. Moorlach has fingered Berardino for his role in the O.C. pension spike that is now turning out to be a disaster.
Here are a few excerpts from Moorlach’s column:
We’re all sorry that layoffs have to be made. But instead of grandstanding and manipulating willing reporters, let’s address the real issues. Let’s start with renegotiating the “2.7% at 55″ benefit.
If you want a Supervisor to take a pay cut, then eliminate the withholdings I have to pay for a retroactive benefit that I lobbied against. Let’s talk real dollars and not easy sound bites in the media.
Nick Berardino is desperate.
Where was the OCEA in 1994? They endorsed and contributed to Robert L. “Bob” Citron’s campaign!
Consequently, we’re paying $80 million per year toward bankruptcy debt that other counties do not have. Thank you, Nick.
Where was Nick in 2004? He negotiated a retroactive retirement benefit enhancement called “2.7% at 55″ that is being paid for by all employees, including me.
What does this mean? We have a union leader that has given his members a massive debt! It was $2.7 billion in December. It’s probably $4.5 billion today.
I’m paying more than $1,000 per month for this crazy scheme. And I already had a reasonable retirement program in place when I arrived here nearly fourteen years ago. The prior defined benefit program was outstanding. Now it’s on steroids.
Take this crazy retirement formula away from me and I’ll be happy to forgo my auto allowance.
What has Nick brought to the table? A debt so large that he makes Citron look like a piker. It’s almost three times the amount that Citron created! And we, the employers (the taxpayers) and employees will be saddled with it long after this recession is over, with the reminder on our pay stubs.
Thank you, Nick. We appreciate the lumps of coal you have given to some 18,000 fine County employees. Bah, humbug.
So Moorlach wants to hammer Nick Berardino for his role in the O.C. pension spike but wasn’t Moorlach our County Tresurer back then and with his high popularity from the Citron BK, the only thing he could push around was “I wouldn’t do it” to the then BOS.
Also, I would really like to see some proof that Moorlach was as vocally against the pension-spikes then as he lends now.
“We’re all sorry that layoffs have to be made. But instead of grandstanding and manipulating willing reporters, let’s address the real issues.”
Funny thing is that I remember a televison reporter interviewing Moorlach a few weeks ago and the story news reporter mentioned that social services was by law required to be first on the chopping block. I wonder who fed the reporter the “by law” information.
“Let’s start with renegotiating the “2.7% at 55″ benefit.”
We must be in high school because this “do or die” threats from Moorlach doesn’t hold water because the county has plenty of fat at the top that is not essential.
Past CEO Ruth found the fat and trimmed within a year but then came Mauk and added all these nice new positions and departments that just for the most part made sure the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted. There are now managers managing managers, supervisor supervising supervisors and many jobs that in a bull market you could still cut but in a bear market there is just no money to fund.
We really need the OC Register to examine the hypocrisy of this so-called Republican leaderships call for limited government by reducing the “the non-essential jobs to no where” at the same time they have added so many new “pork” positions.
Chop at the top is correct!
“If you want a Supervisor to take a pay cut, then eliminate the withholdings I have to pay for a retroactive benefit that I lobbied against.”
Against, lobbied is weak sound when you come across like you fought against this idea.
However, the reality is that the retroactive benefits was a stupid move made by Republicans elected officeholders who Mr. Moorlach endorsed.
Did we forget about these endorsements?
“Consequently, we’re paying $80 million per year toward bankruptcy debt that other counties do not have. Thank you, Nick.”
Don’t blame Nick for these decsion because the decision was soley the BOS one.
Then, I may be wrong but didn’t the County a few years ago say that this BK debt was paid back. Perhaps that was some other BK debt but I remember many elected officals taking credit for this accomplishment.
In addition, nice point you make here but during the BK time all agencies were cut back, layoffs happened everywhere. Now with the state shortfalls the absolute dumbist decision I have heard is that the only agency that will have to withstand the biggest impact of budget constraints is SSA.
I say bring back someone like past CEO Ruth or Popejoy. Ruth found the fat at the top and cut it. Popejoy saw the lack of abilities at the BOS during his tenure and challenged it.
“Where was Nick in 2004? He negotiated a retroactive retirement benefit enhancement called “2.7% at 55″ that is being paid for by all employees, including me.”
Again, Nick’s not not this God the BOS knelt in front of and sang his praise while they voted on the enhancements. The BOS voted for these enhancements and do you no where the former BOS member are because that where your hostilities should be directed.
“What does this mean? We have a union leader that has given his members a massive debt! It was $2.7 billion in December. It’s probably $4.5 billion today.”
Given the passage of measure J, is it safe to assume that even if voter approved retirement enhancement is passed you will still in this case blame Nick. Nice!
That makes sense. I’m confident to state things will get worse with the High school games. God save us.
“Take this crazy retirement formula away from me and I’ll be happy to forgo my auto allowance.”
Public service is public service and should not include a $700 car allowance when you get paid well enough to pay for your own car.
The Grinch is not saving Christmas this year when he layoffs 210 people, many families with children. This years Grinch thinks his car allowance is a worthy perk, more worthy than saving one person’s job.
Merry Xmas Grinch
Whew, where to start! If those are really Moorlach’s words, blaming Beradino for everthing from Citron being repeatedly elected Treasurer-Tax Collector by the voters to the employee costs for paying for the enhanced retirement plan, he is grasping at straws. It might be time, however, to revisit the enhanced retirement plan -the costs of which are being borne by the employees, not the county – because with what the Supervisors are doing to health insurance costs few employees can afford to retire before age 65 anyway because the cost of health insurance – courtesty of the Supervisors’s cost-shifting budgeting strategy – is becoming unaffordable. And in fact it is the Supervisor’s position that retired county employees are not legally entitled to any health insurance coverage through county government, even if they pay the full cost. Will work for heatlh insurance is the new motto that is taking hold. Let’s not forget, Beradino and his OCEA vigorously opposed Moorlach in his campaign for Supervisor, and Moorlach won by a landslide. Understandably because of that opposition, Moorlach is going to take a shot at Beradino and OCEA most every chance he gets, even when he has to make a stretch to try and affix blame/guilt. It is really just a side show.