RESOLUTION No. SUBSTITUTE 36431

Refer amendments to the City of Portland Charter, Chapter 5, Fire and Police Disability, Retirement, and Death Benefit Plan to the November 2006 General Election Ballot. (Resolution).

WHEREAS, the City of Portland acknowledges the extremely important work that police officers and firefighters do to keep our city and its residents safe; and

WHEREAS, the City of Portland affirms its commitment to provide both a fair and a reasonable retirement and disability system for its firefighters and police; and

WHEREAS, the City of Portland reaffirms the need to reform the current Fire and Police Disability and Retirement (FPD&R) System to provide a system that is fiscally responsible to the taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, the City of Portland acknowledges that for the future stability of our City’s finances, and in fairness to future generations of taxpayers in the City, the pensions for future police and firefighters should be pre-funded; and

WHEREAS, the City of Portland acknowledges disability decisions should be made by independent experts, and that the Board of Trustees should not decide disability claims; and

WHEREAS, the City of Portland confirms its commitment to providing greater accountability to the residents of the City of Portland in regards to the FPD&R System; therefore audits of the system should be conducted by outside independent auditors with expertise in disability systems; and

WHEREAS, on February 9, 2005, Portland City Council adopted Resolution #36291 which established the Independent Review Committee (IRC) to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the City’s FPD&R system; and

WHEREAS, on January 18^th, 2006, Portland City Council created the Reform Committee in Resolution #36371 to build on the work of the IRC and propose comprehensive reforms to both the pension and disability programs of the FPD&R system; and

WHEREAS, Council has reviewed the comprehensive analysis of the system conducted by the IRC and the recommendations of the Reform Committee, and based on these documents has created a package to substantially reform and amend the FPD&R system to submit to the voters in the November 2006 General Election; and

WHEREAS, Council submits its belief that these comprehensive reforms will create a system that is accountable to the voters; fair to public safety officers; and fiscally responsible to the taxpayers.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council will submit a Measure for an Act, amending and restating the City of Portland Charter, Chapter 5, Fire and Police Disability, Retirement, and Death Benefit Plan, attached as Exhibit A, to voters of the City of Portland at the November 7, 2006 General Election in the City of Portland, Multnomah County, Clackamas County and Washington County; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council submits the question, ballot title, and summary to be contained in the November 7, 2006 General Election Ballot, as contained in Exhibit B; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council directs the Auditor to publish the ballot title, as shown in Exhibit B, in accordance with City Code; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the sponsoring elected official may submit an explanatory statement to the City Auditor for the publication in the voters’ pamphlet; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Auditor is directed to forward to the County Elections Office all material necessary to place this measure on the November 7, 2006 Election Ballot.

Passed by the Council, July 26, 2006        

             GARY BLACKMER

Mayor Tom Potter          Auditor of the City of Portland

Commissioner Sam Adams        By /S/Susan Parsons

Commissioner Randy Leonard

Commissioner Dan Saltzman        Deputy

Commissioner Erik Sten

BACKING SHEET INFORMATION

AGENDA NO. S-1000-2006

ORDINANCE/RESOLUTION/COUNCIL DOCUMENT NO. SUBSTITUTE 36431