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Smart Voter
Los Angeles County, CA March 3, 2009 Election
Charter Amendment LA-D
Survivor Benefit Purchase Program for Retirees of the Fire and Police Pension Plan
City of Los Angeles
Charter Amendment - Majority Approval Required

Pass: 176,950 / 70.7% Yes votes ...... 73,212 / 29.3% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures
Information shown below: Summary |

Shall the Charter be amended to allow retired members of the Fire and Police Pension Plan to purchase, at their own expense, a survivor benefit for a spouse or domestic partner?

Summary Prepared by
League of Women Voters of Los Angeles
:
THE SITUATION: The Fire and Police Pension Plan provides a survivor benefit to a spouse or domestic partner of a retired Plan member, if such marriage or domestic partnership takes place at least one year before retirement. The Plan does not provide a survivor benefit to a spouse or domestic partner of a retired member who marries or forms a domestic partnership after retirement. A study found that 20 percent of police retirees marry after retirement.

THE PROPOSAL: This measure would allow a member who marries or forms a domestic partnership after retirement the option to provide a survivor benefit for a spouse or domestic partner, provided that the retired member pays the full cost of the benefit through a reduction in his or her monthly pension benefit. The election of this benefit would be permanent and could only be exercised once; the retiree would have to survive at least one year after electing the benefit; and the survivor would not be eligible for health benefits from the Plan.

FINANCIAL IMPACT: Since the employee would be required to pay the full cost of the benefit, there would be only minimal costs to the Pension Plan for administration of this program.

SUPPORTERS SAY: This measure will provide an important option to retired members, while including cost-containment features that minimize administrative costs to the Pension Plan.

(No opposing argument was submitted.)

   Official Information

L.A. City Clerk Election Division

  • Link titled "Find Your Polling Place and Sample Ballot" takes you to a 56-page pdf file including full text and arguments on all ballot measures
  • Voting at Your Polling Place - 3-page pdf file with specific instructions on how to use voting equipment and when to file a provisional ballot
  • Vote by Mail Application - signed copy must be received by City Clerk by February 24, 2009
Nonpartisan Information

'Voter Minute' Video from Center for Governmental Studies

LWV Los Angeles
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Created: June 26, 2009 11:57 PDT
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