Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen — Movie commentary
Blurt — Music's inside track
Booze News — San Diego spirits
Classical Music — Immortal beauty
Classifieds — Free and easy
Close to Home — What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories — Front-page features
Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast! — Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories — Local news & stories
Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives — Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams — Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters — Our inbox
Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news
News Ticker — News & politics
Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry — The old and the new
Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers
Reading — The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT — Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats — Places of worship
Special Issues — The best of
Street Style — San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater — On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week — Daily event picks
SDCERS Board Member Who Spoke Up, Pressed for Full Disclosure, Jettisoned by Mayor
For clarification... the doctors in question are hired by SDCERS and paid by SDCERS. If there is any bias, it would be in SDCERS favor. Which is fine with me. As I stated earlier...to me disabilty means unable to work, period. Otherwise find a job and contribute to our culture in a possitive way.— April 14, 2009 8:58 p.m.
SDCERS Board Member Who Spoke Up, Pressed for Full Disclosure, Jettisoned by Mayor
In the City of San Diego, we have some checks in place to protect the taxpayers.... All non-service age eligible disability retirement recipients (age 50 for safety members or 55 for general members) must file an annual affidavit in order to remain eligible for continued payment of disability retirement benefits. (SDMC section 24.0509.) In addition, all non-service age eligible disability retirement recipients are subject to medical re-examination. If a re-examining physician and the Board, after hearing, conclude that the recipient is no longer disabled, he or she will be ordered to return to work and the benefits terminated. (SDMC section 24.0510.)— April 14, 2009 12:25 p.m.
City's Pension Fund Returns Compare Poorly with Those of Peers
Sorry Johnny... the Kangaroo court where you practice in has no jurisdiction here.— April 13, 2009 6:54 p.m.
SDCERS Board Member Who Spoke Up, Pressed for Full Disclosure, Jettisoned by Mayor
That's odd...Johnny don't you ALWAYS vote for bankruptcy...is your position a scam?— April 13, 2009 12:33 p.m.
SDCERS Board Member Who Spoke Up, Pressed for Full Disclosure, Jettisoned by Mayor
I also find it odd that our Mayor want to rid himself of Mr. Sheffler. Wasn't it Mr. Sheffler who led the charge to lower not only the assumed rate of return and the rate paid on interest crediting. Without his leadership, I suspect the system would still be paying an interest rate of 7.75%. Instead SDCERS is paying a more realistic 3.54%. That rate is lower than what Mr. Goldstone suggested late last year. Mr. Sheffler and the board also set up an annual review making the system more responsive to market conditions. Is our Mayor more concerned about having one voice, his, or good fiscal policy?— April 13, 2009 8:28 a.m.
SDCERS Board Member Who Spoke Up, Pressed for Full Disclosure, Jettisoned by Mayor
Regarding disability retirements... I thought that was the purpose of the disability retirement review program that SDCERS has in place. In fact, I believe the during the latest review period (annually) disability payments were terminated to some of those who were receiving them. Has there been abuse of the disability program? ABSOLUTELY! Are there checks and balances to root out the abuse? Yes. Has SDCERS done enough to stop ANY fraud? No. Should SDCERS and maybe the District Attorney do more? Yes! Recovery of any overpayments and costs would a great first step. Then administering a strict program to stop or discourage questionable applications in the future. In my mind disability means UNABLE to work. Those who can work should NOT be able to collect.— April 13, 2009 8:19 a.m.
SDCERS Board Member Who Spoke Up, Pressed for Full Disclosure, Jettisoned by Mayor
So when did Mr. Sheffler appointed term actually end? Was he like Mr. Provolos who stayed on the board beyond his term? Who might replace him? I appreciated Mr. Sheffler's no nonsense approach. His statement: "You don't have a duty to the people who appointed you. You have a duty to the participants in the plan." Is dead on. This is exactly why the State Constitution protects vested pension benefits from politicians. If Mr Sheffler is correct with his analysis:"I don't know if [Mayor Sanders] wants to see the payment reduced so the City can afford it, or increased so he can have leverage [the payment amount] against the unions." They our Mayor is playing some of the same games, [underpayments] that got us into this mess. Hopefully the SD Reader, VOSD and other responsible media will keep close eye on this one.— April 12, 2009 1:45 p.m.
City's Pension Fund Returns Compare Poorly with Those of Peers
Don If I was surfpuppy I'd be forced into a involuntary commitment under section 5150 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code. There is no doubt the character known as Surfpuppy, who is also known as JohnnyVegas and BillyBob Heny is a person who has a mental disorder, and is a danger to others, or to himself. Johnny for your own sake, voluntarily seek the help you need. If you're unable to free yourself from your blogging addiction, can't bear to be away from your computer, or simply need a ride to our County Mental Health facility off Rosecrans, just let us know, I sure we can arranged it. Remember recognizing denial is just the first of many steps you’ll need to take. Our prayers are with you on this glorious Eastern morning. God bless...— April 12, 2009 8:49 a.m.
City's Pension Fund Returns Compare Poorly with Those of Peers
Come on Don where's your integrity? "SurfPuppy may have multiple identities..." MAY HAVE? Johnny has admitted in other threads to multiple identities. Now he admits to typing a few million words here too! MILLIONS! Surfpuppy, JohnnyVegas, BillyBob Henry and whatever other monikers ... he thrives on this... I believe you properly identified many, not all, of his comments, as troll verbage..— April 11, 2009 9:44 a.m.
San Diego City Employees pension fund ailing
Well Johnny... if nothing else, at least you're entertaining. Most believe, and I sure you go along with this... you're a legend in your own mind.— April 8, 2009 6:21 a.m.