Vote YES 487/Stop Pension Abuse
How (fire/police death and disability claims) became the most important issue in the 487 campaign-and how it’s not true.
I am writing to show you how you were manipulated by the politicians (mayor & council), the opponents of pension reform and by the media covering this important issue. And, mostly because you need this information before you vote.
The issue of death/disability benefits being cut off are just not true and the media knew this was not true when they wrote their stories.
Here is the technique used to dupe you:
History and Technique
During my re-election campaign the unions filed a lawsuit in court against me, they then got the Media to write about the lawsuit. The unions then did mailers and TV to the public on the their lawsuit using the articles in the newspaper as the foundation. Yes, the unions file their own lawsuit, get the media to write about it, then use the stories written in the paper in mailers and on TV. Even though the judge quickly threw out the case, the stories were written and used as fact in subsequent mailers and on TV.
Fast forward to The Pension reform (487) campaign:
The unions get their friends on the council to change the wording on the ballot description to add the words “Police Officer and Firefighter,” they then create the death and disability connection, then they get the media to write about it and create a story, then they do mailers and TV based on the confusion that they created using the published stories as the foundation. The unions rig the ballot description, get the media to write about it, then use the stories written in the paper in mailers and TV. The media knew this was not true.
The media can claim ignorance the first time, but a second time?
Hats off to the anti-pension reform campaign for being able to successfully use the media to make an issue that was never an issue as the highlight of the campaign. Unfortunately, it creates confusion and suppresses voter turnout. The unions want to make sure you don’t vote.
And the media? Well, the same people that complain about low turnout are the same ones who knowingly help write the stories depressing turnout.
Fact: Death/disability claims are a LIFE INSURANCE plan and not a pension. They’re not even close to being part of this initiative. 487 covers only the City of Phoenix pension plan. The police/fire are covered by the state pension plan not by the city plan. Phoenix cannot opt out of that plan. Police and Fire are clearly excluded.
I thought long and hard whether to write this column, but I believe strongly every vote matters. Any delay in getting out the reality behind the politics would be doing you and disservice. The only way we will win is if the public gets the truth, please pass this on to your email list!
I am sorry that was to done to you, but you are the last ray of hope if we are going to change and reform our pension system. Our city needs your help and we need you to vote. Please don’t let them win by not voting.
Vote YES 487
