ANNUAL MEETING DONORS

I would like to express my appreciation to the many companies that donated gifts for our annual Holiday meeting. Please remember to patronize these generous businesses. Here is the complete list.

Negotiations Surveys

The BCEA negotiations teams would like your input. Please complete the survey that was sent to you and return it to the BCEA Office by Monday, April 12th, either in person, inter-office mail, or U.S. mail. These answers will guide the team in how we develop our proposals this negotiations cycle.

These surveys have specific questions about retirement improvements. What benefit formula is preferred, 2.5%@55 or another plan? We need to know what costs for the benefits are fair and affordable to you - our members. These are very important in guiding the BCEA Negotiations Team with the retirement coalition's negotiations.

The City's finances are tight and will challenge everyone this year. This will complicate negotiations now and in the future. The City and all PERS agencies are dealing with large increases in CalPERS employer rates. These rate increases are significantly larger than the projected increases in City revenue. To boil it down, the cost of our CalPERS bills are squeezing the City's budget.

Cost Savings and Efficiency Ideas

In light of the current City budget we are asking you, the membership, for input of another kind. We would like any ideas you have for saving the City money. In meetings with City manager Mary Alvord we discussed ideas about saving money. Mary was interested in the employees' input being directed through the BCEA. This may be a great opportunity to look at ineffective pet projects, or wasteful practices. It is a much better option that citizen committees coming to back to look at our jobs. We don't need another FOCUS Committee 12 years later. These committees only serve to distress employees and put targets on our backs.

If you have any suggestions, you can write them down or e-mail them to the BCEA Office. Our e-mail address is bcea3143@att.net. I thank in advance for your suggestions. I know you all have the best handle on how we do out jobs and what we can do better. Please send in cost saving or efficiency ideas to the BCEA.

The Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act

The League of California Cities, LOCAL coalition, and a diverse group of Labor and Government are collecting signatures for the above mentioned ballot measure. The BCEA has signed on as a supporter. What the Act does is require the STate to go before the voters if it wants to change local government revenue. For example, if the State wanted to cut sales tax to cities, it would have to put it on the ballot first. Currently they only have to approve it in the State Budget and local governments get squeezed.

Please help us gather signatures! We have information and signature forms at the BCEA Office. Our hope is this will stabilize our local government finances, and that stability will only help us. You can also get more info at the Act's website: http://www.protectlocalservices.com. The deadline is April 15, 2004.

Wellness Deadline

June 14, 2004 is the last day to get wellness receipts approved for the 2003-2004 FY. No receipts submitted after that date will be approved. The new 2004-2005 Fiscal Year will begin on July 1, 2004.