DeMaio talks pension, campaign reform
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Congressional candidate Carl DeMaio released his annual report listing the top government pensions paid out in San Diego, and said he plans to propose a new federal law to curb pension abuses. DeMaio joined us live on Good Morning San Diego Tuesday to talk about the report and his plan.
“I believe part of my role is to show taxpayers where their money is going,” said DeMaio. “When you waste money you get less services. When you waste money it means we have higher taxes. That’s unacceptable.”
DeMaio said the top city pension payout was $785,000 for a retired police captain. He also said the top 100 payouts averaged $324,000, and the top 1,000 payouts averaged $133,000. DeMaio calls those figures “outrageous” and “indefensible.”
DeMaio said his opponent in this November’s congressional race, incumbent Democrat Scott Peters, voted to spike pensions to these levels.
“We want to constantly remind people that when you have someone that reckless with money, you don’t want to reward them by sending them back to Washington.”
DeMaio is proposing a law that he says would allow states and localities the ability to opt out of defined benefit systems and into 401k’s.
“Government (employees) shouldn’t be given anything better or anything worse than hard working taxpayers.”
DeMaio also says the law would require the online posting of all government payouts, and prohibit the intentional underfunding of pension systems using pension obligation bonds.
DeMaio was then asked about the nasty side of the race between himself and Peters. San Diegans are inundated with political attack ads, either on TV or in the mail if you live in the 52nd congressional district.
DeMaio decried the presence of unaffiliated political action committees, or ‘Super PAC’s’, that are flush with cash and can generate attack ads that can’t be tied to any candidate.
“I wish that we could get campaign reform, so that people give money to candidates, and the candidates would have to stand by the ads.”
Finally, the District Attorney’s office announced that no charges will be filed against DeMaio following claims of sexual harassment, nor will any charges be filed against his accuser for allegedly breaking into DeMaio’s campaign headquarters.
DeMaio said while he’s happy with the investigation results, he’s still bothered by what he calls a false smear against him by Peters in the final days before an election.
“It’s unacceptable. San Diegans deserve better than this.”
Election day is Tuesday, November 4th.
