P.G. Mayor Bill Kampe

P.G. Mayor Bill Kampe, who is seeking re-election, was pleased with today's court decision.

 Nic Coury

A proposed Pacific Grove initiative to roll back police pensions will not see the light of a ballot, according to today's court ruling.

The citizens' initiative proposed to void a 2002 city ordinance adopting "3 at 50" pensions for public-safety officers. Some community members argue the ordinance was fatally flawed because councilmembers didn't understand the significant costs.

City officials (backed by a third-party consultant) predicted the initiative, if passed, would be challenged and successfully defeated by police unions, incurring serious legal fees along the way. So last May, the P.G. City Council asked the court to weigh in.

Monterey County Superior Court Judge Thomas Wills ruled today that the 2002 ordinance expanding public-safety pensions was legally enacted, and thus the citizens' initiative should not be placed on the ballot. The ruling reversed an earlier decision that would have let the initiative go to a vote.

“This ruling benefits the City by avoiding a costly election, and litigation," City Manager Tom Frutchey stated in a press release.

P.G. Mayor Bill Kampe, who attended the court hearing, says the ruling will be discussed at the next City Council meeting, July 16. A written opinion is expected soon.
 
The ruling leaves P.G. without a clear way to reign in unsustainable public-safety pensions costs. In a separate legal ruling last spring, Wills threw out a 2010 ballot measure capping the city's contribution to public-safety pensions at 10 percent.
 
Kampe, who recently announced his bid for re-election, says he's looking to Sacramento for a fix.
 
"I'm hoping we can put the past of 12 years ago behind us," he says. "I thank the citizens for putting the focus on pension reform, but now's the time to look forward, and look at the additional changes we need at the state level to give us the flexibility we need to manage pension costs."

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