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Alameda County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
Measure X
No Health/Welfare Benefits for Mayor/Council
City of Livermore

Ordinance - Majority Approval Required

Pass: 14914 / 71.16% Yes votes ...... 6043 / 28.84% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Dec 28 11:38am, 100.00% of Precincts Reporting (54/54)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text

Shall the ordinance that prohibits the City from paying for the mayor and council members to participate in the health benefits provided to City employees be adopted?

Impartial Analysis from Livermore City Attorney
EXISTING LAW

The California Government Code allows the mayor and council members for the City of Livermore to participate in the health and welfare benefits that the City provides to its employees. The Code also allows the City of Livermore to pay for the mayor and council members to participate. Health and welfare benefits are defined by the Code to include medical, dental, and life insurance benefits that are provided to a large number of employees.

The City of Livermore currently pays for the mayor and council members to participate in employee health and welfare benefits upon request. The current cumulative annual cost to provide those benefits to the mayor and council members can be from $0 up to approximately $150,000 depending upon the benefits actually used. Commencing with the new term of office that begins after the November 2014 election, the City will be prohibited from paying for the mayor and council members to participate in employee health and welfare benefits, but the mayor and council members will be allowed to participate on a self-paid basis.

The California Government Code allows the city council and the voters to determine whether the City of Livermore pays for the mayor and council members to participate in the benefits.

THIS MEASURE

The measure is an ordinance that prohibits the City of Livermore from paying for the mayor and council members to participate in the health and welfare benefits that the City provides to its employees. If approved, the ordinance would only allow the mayor and council members to participate in the benefits on a self-paid basis.

The ordinance would also prohibit the Livermore City Council from amending or repealing the ordinance without further voter approval. This measure is placed on the ballot by the City Council for the City of Livermore.

s/ Jason R. Alcala
Livermore City Attorney

  News and Analysis

The Independent

Measures W and X deal with Council pay
October 24, 2014
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Arguments For Measure X Arguments Against Measure X
Throughout the State, there have been examples of rich benefits packages which have been provided for members of elected boards and councils. During these recent difficult economic times, the City of Livermore asked for concessions from its bargaining units. These bargaining units, including police, fire and our rank and file workers, recognized the importance of ensuring the long-term fiscal health of the City, and agreed to accept many concessions. Believing the Council should lead by example, the City Council voted to reduce its own total compensation over 65% by eliminating medical and dental benefits which have been paid at the City's expense. Council members will be allowed to purchase benefits from the City pool at their own expense. The potential savings for the City will be over $125,000 per year. To prevent future Councils from reinstituting the benefits without voter approval, the Council has placed this initiative on the ballot. The Livermore Council is the only Council in the region to voluntarily reduce their benefits. We, the undersigned members of the City Council, seek your vote for fiscal health and financial responsibility and urge your support.

Submitted of behalf of the Livermore City Council:

s/ John Marchand, Mayor
s/ Bob Woerner, Vice Mayor
s/ Stewart Gary, Councilmember
s/ Doug Horner, Councilmember
s/ Laureen Turner, Councilmember

No arguments against Measure X were submitted.

Full Text of Measure X
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LIVERMORE ADDING SECTION 2.04.030.5 No City Paid Health-and-Welfare Benefits for Mayor and Council Members TO THE LIVERMORE MUNICIPAL CODE

The people of the City of Livermore, California do ordain as follows:

Section 1. Ordinance. Section 2.04.030.5, No City Paid Health-and-Welfare Benefits for Mayor and Council Members, is hereby added to Chapter 2.04 City Council of the Livermore Municipal Code to read as follows:

2.04.030.5 No City Paid Health-and-Welfare benefits for Mayor and Council Members

A. Pursuant to Government Code Sections 53200, 53201, 53202, 53208, and 53208.5, each member of the city council and the mayor may, but is not required to, participate in the health-and-welfare benefits offered by the city to its employees.

B. The city is expressly prohibited from paying the cost for any mayor or council member to participate in the health-and-welfare benefits offered by the city to its employees.

C. Any mayor or council member that elects to participate in the health-and-welfare benefits offered by the city to its employees must participate on a self-paid basis.

D. This ordinance shall supersede the provision of any and all ordinances or resolutions heretofore adopted or in effect concerning the health-and-welfare benefits for Council Members and Mayor.

E. No part of this ordinance shall be repealed or amended except by a vote of the people.

Section 2. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be adopted if approved by the majority of qualified electors at the city's general municipal election held on November 4, 2014; and shall be effective ten (10) days following the date upon which the Livermore City Council declares by resolution the results from that election.

Section 3. Severability. If any part of this ordinance is declared invalid by a court, such invalidity shall not affect any of the remaining parts.


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