Re “Lawmakers ready to make pension crisis even worse,” March 17:
I was disheartened with the Editorial Board’s suggestion that AB 1383 eliminates the reforms adopted in the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act. Rather, AB 1383 is a measured adjustment to the retirement law that reflects the realities firefighters face each day. Whether responding to wildfire or a hazmat incident, California’s firefighters are facing heightened occurrences of injuries and illnesses, including cancer.
To meet this reality, AB 1383 would make targeted, prospective changes to the state’s retirement law. For public safety personnel, it would reduce the normal retirement age from 57 to 55, reducing exposures to dangers. Further, the measure would adjust the pensionable compensation cap to better align with our current cost-of-living realities. Finally, it would allow employees and employers to bargain over prospective increases in their pension formula, within the limits allowed by the law.
AB 1383 does not permit retroactive benefits; it protects both firefighters and taxpayers.
Brian K. Rice, California Professional Firefighters
