Former mayor Filner’s pension reduced after house arrest release

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – The San Diego City Employees Retirement System reduced
ex-Mayor Bob Filner's city pension by nearly $1,800 annually to comply with a
provision of his sentencing, the agency announced Monday.

Superior Court Judge Robert Trentacosta ordered at a December sentencing
hearing that the former 10-term congressman give up his mayoral pension from
the date of the first offense, March 6, 2013. He pleaded guilty two months
earlier to false imprisonment and battery charges brought after three women
accused him of sexual harassment.

SDCERS spokeswoman Christina DiLeva said Filner will lose benefits
accrued from the March 6 date.

“SDCERS has determined that Mr. Filner made a knowing and intelligent
waiver of his pension benefits, following the consideration of a totality of
circumstances,” DiLeva said.

Because he was a city councilman before being elected to the House of
Representatives, he will still receive nearly $1,600 a month in city pension
benefits.

The retroactive reduction goes into effect this month, according to
DiLeva. SDCERS will have to refund to Filner $4,476 in contributions after the
effective date. That total will be partly offset by $873 in payments already
made to him that represents the time period through Aug. 30, when he left
office.

She said Filner can make a written appeal to the SDCERS Business and
Governance Committee by April 21.

Filner ended a three-month term of GPS-monitored home confinement on
Sunday.