NEWS

Your 2015 ACSS Chapter 503 Election Results (Sacramento)

Chapter 503 voting closed on Monday June 8, 2015.  The results are in! Here is a listing of your elected chapter officers and delegates for Chapter 503 (Sacramento and Yolo Counties).  Congratulations to all the newly elected officials! Alternates are ranked in order, based on greatest number of votes received.  If you are an elected candidate on this list who will attend the 2015 ACSS Delegate Assembly on July 17-19, click here to view details of the event and hotel information. Make sure you reserve your hotel room ASAP... the cut-off date for hotel reservations is June 22, 2015!

To see a list of the results of all other Chapters' elected candidates, click here.

ACSS Attends 2015 CA Democratic Convention

ACSS wrapped up the 2015 CA Democratic Convention on Sunday, May 17, 2015. The convention was held in Anaheim, CA (May 15-17, 2015).  There were three days of speeches, rallies, workshops, and important elections. Speakers at this year’s convention included Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Barney Frank (Ret.), CA Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, CA Senate President pro Tem Kevin De Leon and many other public officials.  ACSS' Political Team met  with many leaders from all levels of state government.

"It was an exciting time to be in Anaheim at the California Democratic Party Convention and to further advance the ACSS plight!” commented Frank Ruffino, ACSS VP of Governmental Affairs.

From left, Todd D'Braunstein (ACSS VP of Membership Development), Elnora Fretwell (ACSS Vice President), Michael Eggman (Congressional Candidate, 10th District), Susan Eggman (AD 13), Frank Ruffino (ACSS VP of Governmental Affairs).

From left Frank Ruffino (ACSS VP of Governmental Affairs), Shirley Weber (AD 79), Elnora Fretwell (ACSS Vice President), Mark Leno (SD 11), Todd D'Braunstein (ACSS VP of Membership Development).

Frank Ruffino (ACSS VP of Governmental Affairs) chats with Alex Padilla (CA Secretary of State).

Elnora Fretwell (ACSS Vice President) gets a signature from Kamala Harris (ACSS Attorney General).

Bottom Line on the Budget: Administration Drops the HSA and Other Trailer Bill Objectives

ACSS has consistently pushed back on the “equal sharing” (50/50) of costs between employee and the state for funding retiree healthcare. We are pleased to report that on Friday June 5, the Administration agreed to drop language in the trailer bill requiring equal sharing of costs for retiree healthcare (as defined in Section 11 of the amended trailer bill). ACSS was concerned that 50/50 cost sharing would be implemented statutorily. We are declaring victory that this item is NOT becoming statue and is being dropped altogether from the budget. The Legislature has been supportive of our request to keep health care proposals out of state budget trailer bill language completely.

In addition, this week the Brown Administration tossed out the CalPERS high deductible health care plan. The Administration realized that without a high deductible plan, there is little use for an HSA. In addition, the Administration also removed some trailer bill language that applies to new hire’s formula for retiree healthcare plans, increases the vesting period for new hires, and removes some language in reference to Medicare reimbursements. The Administration has decided to drop these objectives from the budget and instead, pursue them in bargaining. Battling it out with the bargaining units may take months, which means that implementation for managers and supervisors may be drawn out even further.

The amended trailer bill language:

• requires verification of eligible health care plan participants
• defines, in more detail, the prefunding of employee contributions
• lists requirements that CalPERS report to the Department of Finance on costs and status of health care plans
• sets a lock on the state retiree health account until 2046

At this point, we can conclude that these objectives are the bottom line adjustments to the budget from the Administration.

Your 2015 ACSS Chapter Election Results*!

Here is a listing of your elected chapter officers and delegates per chapter*.  Congratulations to all the newly elected officials!
(Alternates are ranked in order, based on greatest number of votes received.)  If you are an elected candidate who will attend the 2015 ACSS Delegate Assembly on July 17-19, click here to view details of the event and hotel information. The cut-off date for hotel reservations is June 22, 2015!

* Chapter 503 Sacramento Area election closes June 8. Please make sure ACSS HQ receives your Chapter 503 ballot by 5pm on Monday June 8.

>> Read More...

ACSS Elections Are Now Closed!* Results Coming Soon.

The 2015 ACSS Chapter Elections voting period closed on 5/20/15.  Thank you to those who

Budget Proposal Aims to End "Six-Month Vacancy" Illegal Position Shuffling

Jerry Brown's 2015-16 budget proposes a plan to wipe out an existing law that requires departments to eliminate state positions that go empty for six months. Departments have been deceptively manipulating personnel to inflate salary budgets and use money for other expenses. By shuffling around staff and making it appear that these positions are still being used, the positions are not eliminated and the department retains their funding.  A series of investigations and audits are bringing transparency to this issue and are putting a stop to all the unnecessary shuffling.  Read more on this issue in the full SacBee article.

May Budget Revision Reveals More Money Than Previously Predicted

Compared to the January Budget, in the May Revise, released on 5/14, Governor Brown disclosed $6.7 billion more dollars available to put to use for 2015-16. While this is good news that there is more money available, the vast majority of it will go to public elementary schools, lower-income households, the rainy day fund, CSU and the UC school system (to cover pension debt). Very little of the May Revise was new material for state workers, and revealed more depth of the same proposals we have already known about.

On the hot topic of heathcare and retirement, the Administration continues to move forward with their more cohesive “3-pronged approach” to managing the $72 billion unfunded liability. 1) Prefunding retiree healthcare is most certainly pushing forward. 2) Newly hired state employees will be required to work longer to receive retirement compensation. And 3) more affordable healthcare plans (hinting towards HSA plans) will be implemented. Again, these concepts are not new, but they are becoming more concrete into an impending reality.

As for civil service, the May Revise proposes $57 million in new state employee compensation and reduces contributions to CalPERS down by $110 million. Proof that pension reform is indeed working. It also reiterated the proposals to streamline classifications, abolish vacant positions and broaden recruitment efforts in civil service.

Click here to download the official full version of the May Revise.

Myths vs. Facts on CalPERS Pensions, Investments, Health Care, and More!

CalPERS has provided a list of Myths versus Facts to address common misconceptions.  Test your knowledge on the following CalPERS issues related to pensions, investments, accountability, ethics, and health care. 

MYTH -or- FACT? Most Police and firefighters retire at age 50 with 90 percent of pay.

MYTH -or- FACT? CalPERS doesn't promote a public pension database so it can hide pension amounts.

MYTH -or- FACT? CalPERS Long-Term Care Program is financially unstable.

MYTH -or- FACT? Taxpayers pay 100 percent of retiree health care costs.

For more Myth or Fact questions and to see answers to the questions above, click here to read the full article on the CalPERS website.

Don't Forget to Vote! ACSS Chapter Elections Ballots Due May 20!

Hurry! Time is running out to cast your vote for your local ACSS Chapter leaders! Ballots MUST be returned to ACSS headquarters no later than 5pm on Wednesday May 20, 2015*. Don't forget to SIGN the outside back of the return envelope. Unsigned ballots are deemed invalid. Click here to learn more about ACSS Chapter Elections and candidates. If you are a member and did not receive a ballot, please contact ACSS immediately at (800) 624-2137.

*NOTE: Chapter 503 Sacramento Area ballots must be returned to ACSS Headquarters by  5pm on Monday June 8th.

Chapter Meetings Springing Up in May!

There are several Chapter meetings coming up in the month of May.  Don't forget to RSVP and join your local ACSS Chapter for a casual discussion and FREE dinner.  Check the ACSS Events Calendar to RSVP to your Chapter's next meeting. 

Friday May 8:

Chapter 513 - Orange County/Mission Viejo @ Antonucci's Italian Restaurant

Tuesday May 12:

Chapter 509 - Bakersfield @ Hodel's Country Dining Restaurant

Thursday May 14:

Chapter 511 - L.A. Area/Monterey Park @ Marie Callender's

Tuesday May 19:

Chapter 507 - South Bay Area/Monterey Bay @ The Whole Enchilada Moss Landing

Thursday May 21:

Chapter 505 - Bay Area @ Don Ramon's Restaurant San Francisco
Chapter 508 - Stockton @ The Old Spaghetti Factory
Chapter 514 - Ontario @ El Torito