Adachi Challenges Lee to Pension Reform Debate

Written by Luke Thomas. Posted in News, Politics

Published on September 08, 2011 with 11 Comments

Public Defender Jeff Adachi. Photo by Luke Thomas.

By Luke Thomas

September 8, 2011

Citing the vital importance of pension reform to San Francisco’s fiscal future, Public Defender and mayoral candidate Jeff Adachi today challenged appointed Mayor Ed Lee to publicly debate the merits of two competing pension reform proposals, Propositions C and D.

In a letter sent to Lee, Adachi, the sponsor of Prop D, states, “I request you to join me in a public debate regarding the relative merits of our two pension proposals this month. As the two principals behind the competing ballot measures, I hope that we can work together to increase awareness of this important issue and work towards a better future for our city.”

“As you know, San Francisco’s pension system for city employees is in crisis,” Adachi wrote. “The city’s pension costs are rising at an unsustainable rate, threatening our city’s fiscal health while risking cuts to essential services and compelling tax increases. Within the next four years, our city will be spending over a projected $800 million of taxpayer money to cover its annual pension costs. Because the system is severely underfunded, our pension crisis could also result in the city’s inability to meet its pension obligations to public employees.

“Earlier this year, you stated that without at least a $300 million to $400 million reduction in annual pension costs, our city was on the path to bankruptcy. I appreciate your recognition of the dire fiscal outlook our city faces, and acknowledge your efforts to garner support for a political solution to this problem. However, I believe that your solution – Proposition C – repeats many of the mistakes that precipitated our pension crisis in the first place, and falls well short of what is necessary to restore our city’s fiscal health.

“This November, the voters of San Francisco will have a choice between your plan, on the ballot as Proposition C, and the San Francisco Pension Reform Act, on the ballot as Proposition D. Pension reform is as complex as it is crucial to our city’s future. I believe there is a vital need – if not an obligation – for us to ensure that the voters of San Francisco understand both the severity of our pension crisis as well as the significant differences between our two proposals. Without a meaningful understanding of our pension crisis, we risk repeating our mistakes, as well as our city’s future.”

FCJ sent requests for comment to Lee campaign spokesperson Tony Winnicker and mayor’s office spokesperson Christine Falvey. FCJ will publish their responses upon receipt.

Update, 11:17 am: Lee campaign spokesperson Tony Winnicker provided FCJ with the following response:

“Mayor Lee already debates his San Francisco approach to pension reform versus Adachi’s divisive Wisconsin way everywhere he goes and will continue to,” Winnicker stated via email. “It’s already a topic at every forum and will continue to be, but voters deserve to hear from all the candidates on pension reform, not just two of them. This is nothing more than a cheap sideshow stunt to attract momentary attention to his floundering mayoral campaign.”

Update, 12:38 pm: Mayoral spokesperson Christine Falvey provided FCJ with the following response:

“Mayor Lee has already discussed the consensus pension proposal at length with Mr. Adachi over several months,” Falvey wrote via email. “He has also gone across the city to discuss the proposal with San Franciscans. No one is arguing that pension reform is necessary, but Mayor Lee has been communicating to a wide audience about why a comprehensive and consensus plan will realize the savings the city needs to protect city services.”

Luke Thomas

Luke Thomas

Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.

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  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/hbrown/ Harold Brown

    San Franciscans deserve this,

    Two Asian-American heavyweights? Name me another American city that’s had something like this happen.

    Go Giants!

    Go Seahawks (Sunday only)

    h.

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/hbrown/ Harold Brown

    Ah, Winnicker’s response,

    “floundering mayoral campaign”?

    You keep your ‘fighter’ surrounded by 13 cops like he’s friggin’ Rocky Balboa or something. Fact is, he’s a coward and so are you. How about you and I debate Pension Reform? You afraid of me? Your boss is a coward and so are you.

    Come and have a piece of me.

    Note: I don’t work for Jeff’s campaign. He’s a friend and I support him. I offer ideas but I’m not a paid shill like you.

    Let me emphasize this fact … Ed Lee is a coward and so are you.

    When adult men and women are challenged in the political arena they either step forward and accept the challenge or they go hide behind Willie Brown.

    Hey Willie, you got the balls to debate me?

    Ed Lee did not earn the office he holds. Right now when he comes before the Board of Supes each month he requires that they give him all of the questions in advance. Because he’s a coward. Let him prove his worth.

    Giants ready to make their move.

    h.

  • http://groups.yahoo.com/group/patmonkrn/ Patrick Monk
  • seej

    Adachi would wipe the floor with Lee.

  • http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_tab_pro Ann Garrison

    Hee hee, Harold. . . you’re getting better at this with each passing sleep. I also agree that we deserve this debate. Adachi and Lee would, I suppose, be the debaters, since they’re the two principle backers of the two bills.

    Gotta say I feel angry about feeling obliged to read and study all 250 pages of Measure C if I want to do any more reporting about this, which may well mean I just don’t do it. And I’m sure its authors knew damn well that the voters will be even less willing to read, much less study it.

  • http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/author/hbrown/ Harold Brown

    Annie,

    They’re counting on no one reading Prop C. It screws lower waged SEIU 1021 members and oddly (?) Gabriel Haaland has it scheduled for a second run at approval before the Milk Club.

    Why in the world would Gabe stick it to his members just to please Ed Lee?

    I’d guess it has something to do with a possibility that the D-5 supe seat could open in January and Gabe feels if he delivers an ignorant-of-the-facts union vote to Prop C that Lee will appoint him. Naturally, he won’t. For 3 reasons.

    Lee will lose to Adachi.

    Prop C will fail.

    Mirkarimi will lose to Miyamoto.

    Go Giants!

    h.

  • http://groups.yahoo.com/group/patmonkrn/ Patrick Monk

    RUNAWAY.
    Forgot to include players in above skit.
    Manky Scottish Git. h Brown.
    The King. W Brown.
    Killer Rabbit. Jeff Adachi
    Sacrificial Knight. Ed Lee.

  • Daniele E.

    “Mayor Lee already debates his San Francisco approach to pension reform vs Adachi’s divisive Wisconsin way everywhere he goes and will continue” Can you say…framing/labeling the issue before any debate has taken place? I smell cheap pot-shot (read: not helpful).

    “This is nothing more than a cheap sideshow stunt to attract momentary attention to his floundering mayoral campaign.” Not so sure about that…but again, this response seems like nothing more than cheap labeling of the negative-campaigning sort…not appreciated by this voter who would like an opportunity to get a good airing of the issue by two who ostensibly have studied it more than most…

    “He has also gone across the city to discuss the proposal with San Franciscans.” Well, if our valiant crusader has done so, where do we other time-strapped interested San Franciscans go to hear what he had to say? A debate between the two authors seems like a perfect opportunity to get a better understanding of what’s at stake / what might be missing and the complexities involved. And let it be videotaped!

    To tell you the truth, I’m pissed. All I can get from this “exchange” (ha!) is that camp Lee is scared—or threatened—or wants to rest on its false “laurels” of incumbency. Not buying.

    Message to Lee: Debate is Healthy. Stop shirking your responsibilities and give this debate the wide audience it deserves.

    PS I’ve been to 2 forums so far and pension reform was not debated in either. Only quick sound bites by one or another candidate.

  • http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_tab_pro Ann Garrison

    This debate, which will probably never happen, would not be at all fair if it did not include some of the angry rank and file union members I’ve spoken to, and others who intend to vote against both measures, on the grounds that both are attacks on the working class.

    A debate between Adachi and Lee suggests that D and C are the only alternatives. And, let’s face it, if Lee agreed to debate Adachi, Adachi would suddenly appear to be the leading challenger.

    However, to be the real deal, this debate would have to include someone not running for mayor at all—OR, Green Party candidate Terry Baum, who opposes both Measures C and D.

  • http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_tab_pro Ann Garrison

    P.S. The fact that Adachi would, at least briefly, appear to be Lee’s leading challenger, if Lee agreed to debate him should not keep this debate from happening, though it absolutely should not happen without Terry Baum, or, now I’m remembering. . . Leland Yee, who opposes both C and D.

    I’d much rather see Terry debating Lee, because then we’d hear some progressive revenue raising proposals that aren’t even being discussed in the current exchange.

    Does anyone have information on how the other candidates stand on C and D? What about Herrera?

  • Daniele E.

    i agree, of course, and have already spoken with Terry about including her views on the subject at the next forum. Perhaps a spirited debate between all the candidates on only this issue and all it brings to the table is in order. Along with audience and/or union rep participation. Whatever form it could take. But clearly, something like that is needed. I hope we get it.

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