Financial Reforms That Trigger a Sales Tax Increase
1. Eliminate city payments to employee portion of pension contributions for non-unionized employees, known as the “pickup.”
2. Finish negotiations on the broad outsourcing measure known as managed competition allowing the city to initiate competitions for a variety of services.
3. Complete a study determining if the Deferred Retirement Option Plan costs the city money and if it does, hold labor negotiations to eliminate the costs.
4. Request qualifications from private companies for taking over the city’s Miramar landfill.
5. Eliminate “terminal leave” or the practice of allowing city employees to stay on the payroll rather than being paid a lump sum of accrued vacation prior to their departure.
6. Reduce pension “pickup” payments for union employees.
7. Reduce retiree health care costs.
8. Request bids for the city’s information technology services.
9. Establish a pension plan with reduced benefits for new firefighters.
10. Establish a voluntary 401(k)-style retirement plan for all city employees subject to IRS approval.