消防員的退休福利
市府是否應修改市憲章，以更改於2012年1月7日或之後受聘的消防局成員的退休金福利計算方式，將這些成員可以領取最高退休金的年齡從58歲降至55歲，並使這些福利與2012年1月7日之前受聘的成員相同？
本提案需要有50%+1的贊成票才能獲得通過。
摘要由選票簡釋委員會撰寫
現況：
市府透過三藩市僱員退休系統（SFERS）為僱員提供退休金福利。符合年齡和服務要求的僱員在退休時可領取退休金。消防局成員如果有在本市服務至少五年，即有資格在50歲退休。
成員的退休金一般隨著成員的年齡、報酬和工作年期而增加。退休金是成員退休時最終報酬的一個比例。這個比例會由SFERS根據成員退休時的年齡和他們在本市服務的年期來計算。消防局成員領取的退休金不得超過其最終報酬的90%。
在2012年1月7日之前受聘的消防局成員在55歲時，退休金可以達到90%的最高比例。2012年1月7日或之後受聘的成員可在三年後，即58歲時達到最高比例。
建議：
提案H會修改市憲章，更改於2012年1月7日或之後受聘的消防局成員的退休金福利。提案H將把這些消防局成員根據年齡可領取的最高退休金的年齡從58歲降至55歲。這些修改將使2012年1月7日及之後受聘的消防局成員的退休金福利與2012年1月7日之前受聘的成員相同。
投「贊成」票的意思是：如果您投「贊成」票，即表示您同意修改市憲章，以更改於2012年1月7日或之後受聘的消防局成員的退休金福利計算方式，將這些成員可以領取最高退休金的年齡從58歲降至55歲，並使這些福利與2012年1月7日之前受聘的成員相同。
投「反對」票的意思是：如果您投「反對」票，即表示您不同意做這些修改。
市主計官對提案「H」的意見書
市主計官Greg Wagner就提案H對本市財政的影響發表以下聲明：
我認為，如果建議的憲章修正案獲得選民批准，將對政府成本產生重大影響。根據退休系統目前的精算假設和政策，該修正案將從2025–26財年開始增加市府的費用約370萬美元，然後逐年增加直至2040–2041財年。
建議的憲章修正案將使2012年1月7日之後成為消防員與該日期之前成為消防員的退休福利計算方法保持一致。修正案明確指出，與現行規定相比，2012年1月7日之後受聘的消防員有資格在較低的年齡獲得更高的退休福利。該修正案將這批消防員領取最高潛在退休金的退休年齡從58歲降至55歲。在2012年1月7日之後聘用的消防員中，目前約有4%（約50名消防員）的年齡超過50歲。
估計第一年的費用約為370萬美元，並在此後16年內逐年增加，因為市府支付的僱主退休供款不斷提高。這筆費用不包括可能需要僱用更多新的消防員，因為年齡較大的消防員在新的激勵措施下會提前退休。目前僱用和訓練一名新消防員的費用約為115,000美元，包括教學、背景調查和體檢、個人防護設備和制服的費用。
本憲章修正案修正了選民於2010年6月和2011年11月批准的有關退休金改革的憲章修正案。
提案「H」如何被列入選票
2024年7月30日，市議會以10票對0票通過將提案H列入選票。市議會的投票如下：
贊成：Chan、Dorsey、Engardio、Mandelman、Melgar、Peskin、Preston、Ronen、Safai、Stefani。
反對：無。
棄權：Walton。
以上陳述是本提案的中立分析。贊成和反對本提案的論據在本文後刊登。所登載論據為作者意見，其準確性未經任何官方機構校核。英文原文的拼寫及文法錯誤均未經改正。中文譯文與英文原文儘可能保持一致。
Proponent’s Argument in Favor of Proposition H
這是事實：癌症是消防員職業性死亡的主要原因。消防員死於癌症的風險比普通人高出14%。2006年以來，已有300多名現役和退休的三藩市消防員死於癌症。僅在過去六年中，就有160多人被診斷出癌症。大多數確診患者都是50歲以上的消防員，凸顯了罹患癌症的風險會隨著年齡而增加。
消防是最危險、對身心要求最高的職業之一。他們日常的工作要求，再加上接觸危險的PFAS（永久化學品）和有毒化學物、煙霧和煙氣等風險，都給消防員帶來了沉重的壓力，尤其是工作到58歲退休年齡的消防員。這種長期接觸會導致精神健康問題、心臟問題、慢性健康問題，以及與工作相關的癌症，而且只會隨著年齡而惡化，並影響消防員及家人的生活。
提案H將允許三藩市的消防員在55歲時退休，降低他們罹患癌症的風險。
目前，三藩市的消防員面臨不公平的退休年齡。2012年之前聘用的消防員在55歲即可退休，而2012年之後聘用的消防員必須等到58歲才能退休。提案H將統一所有消防員的退休年齡，確保公平對待每一位從事同樣生命受到威脅的工作的消防員。
提早退休也有助於降低因消防員的慢性健康問題和受傷而不斷上漲的工傷賠償費用，讓市府能夠騰出資源，使所有消防員享有公平的退休年齡。
現在是拯救每天在我們社區救人的消防員生命的時候了。提案H是保護我們的消防員免受癌症之苦，並為三藩市所有最勇敢的人提供公平公正的退休福利的關鍵的一步。
市議員Catherine Stefani
市議會主席Aaron Peskin
市議員Connie Chan
市議員Matt Dorsey
市議員Joel Engardio
市議員Myrna Melgar
市議員Ahsha Safai
三藩市消防員工會本地798分會秘書Adam Wood
Rebuttal to Proponent’s Argument in Favor of Proposition H
提案H的支持者引用了多年來眾所周知的消防員患癌風險較高的論點，卻沒法證明為何消防員的報酬已經高於同儕的情況下，還要給予他們更高的退休金。
根據2023年對13個管轄區的調查，消防員的平均年薪為127,654美元，三藩市消防員的年薪則為136,656美元，是灣區年薪最高、工作時間最少的消防員。
在美國，癌症是第二大死亡原因，明顯地現任或前任消防員的癌症並非都與工作有關。根據全國資料，消防員接到報警的事件中只有4%涉及火災，其他大多數都是醫療急救。
「較遲聘用者必須等到58歲」才能退休的說法，充其量只是一種誤導。顯然地，如果消防員願意，他們可以選擇提早退休，而且目前的退休資格日期也沒有任何不公平之處。那些在2012年或之後受聘的消防員已被告知現行的退休金規定。
對勢力強大的消防員工會唯命是從的市議員，正在推動一項會造成更多不平等的提案。他們試圖取消選民通過的一項重要改革，使退休金系統再度變得更難持續，危及未來退休人員的退休金，並增加目前和未來的稅務負擔。
每個人都愛戴消防員，但是沒有理由讓他們不需要遵守所有市府僱員都必須遵守的退休金規則的約束。提案H會傷害未來的工人和公眾。投票反對。
三藩市自由黨
LPSF.org
Opponent's Argument Against Proposition H
消防員的工作有風險，而且輪班時間很長。當他們冒著巨大風險去幫助他人時，他們是真正的英雄。儘管有風險，他們是自願選擇了這個職業。
在2012年1月6日之後受聘的三藩市消防員也知道，領取全額退休金的新退休年齡為58歲（之前為55歲）。由於市府數十年來的財政管理不善，因此有必要修改領取退休金的年齡。透過提高該日之後受聘的消防員的員工供款率，選民保護了消防員的退休金。需要削減開支。三藩市在2008年至2012年的蕭條週期中避免了破產。加州的其他城市就沒那麼幸運 – 許多經歷了市政破產。
現在，政客提出一項選票提案，想要推翻選民的審慎行動。為什麼？選票提案聲稱「三藩市僱員退休系統的財務前景已顯著改善」。在經濟繁榮週期，可能是如此，但似乎缺乏應對下一次蕭條的規劃。如果政府干預貨幣體系，阻止市場的自然修正，繁榮/蕭條週期就不會結束。這就像「禁燒」的森林管理規定會增加最終發生毀滅性火災的風險一樣。
讓我們投票反對這項選票提案，建立一個有前瞻性的市府，在不增加市民稅務負擔的同時，保護自身以免未來破產的影響。更好是找尋保護消防員和獎勵他們英勇服務，而同時不會增加未來無法持續的支出義務的方法。
投票反對提案H。
三藩市自由黨
LPSF.org
Rebuttal to Opponent’s Argument Against Proposition H
極端的自由論黨或任何暗示消防員「選擇」罹患癌症或死於癌症的人都是可恥的。
消防員在選擇自己的職業時知道，他們可能必須冒著生命危險去拯救別人。但是他們不知道，自己也會面臨職業癌症的風險，將會縮短他們的生命，或是伴隨他們直到退休。
過去幾年來，一些重要的新研究顯示，消防員在危及生命的工作崗位上工作的時間越長，罹患癌症的機率就會大幅增加。
事實：癌症是消防員職業性死亡的主要原因，50歲以上的消防員更容易罹患癌症。消防員死於癌症的風險比其他人高出14%。
目前的退休年齡迫使其中許多人繼續在危險的環境中工作，增加了罹患癌症和其他慢性健康問題的風險。
事實：目前，三藩市的消防員面臨著退休年齡不公平的問題。2012年之前聘用的消防員在55歲即可退休，而2012年之後聘用的消防員必須等到58歲才能退休。
提案H將再次統一所有消防員的退休年齡，確保公平對待每一位從事同樣危及生命的工作的消防員。
提案H是一個切實可行的解決方案，幫助每位消防員在2012年受聘的年齡時限退休，限制接觸危險毒素的機會，以便降低罹患癌症的風險。
這是我們成為英雄的機會，去保護那些保衛三藩市家庭的英雄。
投票贊成提案H。
市議員Catherine Stefani
市議員Connie Chan
Paid Arguments in Favor of Proposition H
1
贊成提案H的付費論據
作為一名戰勝癌症的 SFFD 消防員，我親身體驗到消防員罹患癌症的機率是其他人的 2-3 倍。因為消防工作不單對身體和精神上有要求，它還存在著大多數人看不到的危險。我們衝進燃燒的建築物，每天都會接觸有毒致癌物質，如煙霧，煙氣和有害物質，這些物質隨著時間的推移在我們體內積累，經常會導致危及生命的疾病，包括癌症。
癌症是消防員職業死亡的主要原因。自 2006 年以來，已有 300 多名現役和退休的三藩市消防員死於癌症。僅在過去的六年裡，我的 SFFD 同僚就有 160 多名被診斷出罹患癌症。這些診斷大多發生在 50 歲之後，凸顯我們工作的時間越長，我們的風險就越大。
提案H將拯救生命。它允許消防員在 55 歲時退休，以減少面臨這些致命風險的機會。
如今，這個制度非常不公平 — 2012 年之前僱用的消防員可以在55 歲退休，而2012 年之後僱用的消防員必須等到58 歲退休。提案H糾正了這種不平等，確保我們所有人都有相同的機會來保障我們的健康。
透過將消防員退休年齡恢復到 2012 年的標準，我們可以降低市府不斷上漲的工傷賠償費用，釋放資源，使退休年齡對所有人來說都是公平的。
提案H幫助拯救每天冒險維護我們社區安全的消防員的生命。請對 H 投下贊成票並拯救消防員的生命。
John Maguire
這項論據的刊登費用的資金真正來源是： 為了消防員的健康和安全贊成提案H，三藩市消防員工會本地798。
委員會提供資金的真正來源的三大貢獻者是： 1. 三藩市消防員工會本地798 PAC， 2. 洛杉磯市聯合消防員本地 112 - 議題委員會， 3. 三藩市消防員工會本地798- 普通基金。
2
贊成提案H的付費論據
作為長期的三藩市人，我們深切關注消防員的健康和安全。
在過去幾年，新的研究證明，消防員從事危及生命的工作時間越長，罹癌的機率就會大大增加。他們不僅面臨火災，還暴露在 PFAS（永遠的化學物質）、有毒化學物質、煙霧和煙氣中。癌症是消防員職業死亡的主要原因，他們死於該疾病的風險比一般人高 14%。
自 2006 年以來，已有 300 多名在職和退休的三藩市消防員因癌症喪生。過去六年已有超過 160 例確診。這些診斷大多發生在 50 歲以上的消防員身上，突顯出他們工作時間越長，面臨的風險就越高。
提案H 將退休年齡調整回2012 年選民批准的 55 歲來拯救消防員的生命。
更重要的是，消防員之間的退休年齡存在不公平的差距 — 2012年之前受聘的消防員可以在55歲退休，但2012年之後受聘的消防員必須等到58歲才能退休。標準化退休年齡來糾正這種不平等，確保所有消防員都有相同的機會來保障他們的健康。
提案H 對於保障我們消防員的健康、保護他們避免接觸更多致癌化學物質以及確保他們獲得應有的公平合理的退休福利至關重要。
在11 月 5 日，投票贊成H。
Fiona Ma， 加州財政部長*
Alan Wong， 市立大學董事會主席*
Stanley Lee， 亞裔消防員協會主席*
*作者僅以個人身份簽名，不代表任何組織。
這項論據的刊登費用的資金真正來源是： 為了消防員的健康和安全贊成提案H，三藩市消防員工會本地798。
委員會提供資金的真正來源的三大貢獻者是： 1. 三藩市消防員工會本地798 PAC， 2. 洛杉磯市聯合消防員本地 112 - 議題委員會， 3. 三藩市消防員工會本地798 - 普通基金。
3
贊成提案H的付費論據
作為一名前消防局醫生，我親眼目睹了癌症對三藩市消防員及其家人造成的毀滅性影響。眾所周知，癌症是三藩市最勇敢的消防員職業死亡的主要原因。消防員死於癌症的比率比一般人高 14%，主要是因為他們反覆接觸有毒化學物質、煙霧和 PFAS（永遠的化學物質）等有害物質。自 2006 年以來，三藩市已有 300 多名現役和退休消防員死於癌症，僅在過去六年就有 160 多名消防員被診斷出患有這種致命疾病。這些診斷大多數發生在 50 歲之後，凸顯了年長的消防員面臨的風險增加。
消防是地球上最耗費體力和精神的職業之一。日常工作要求，加上長期暴露於有毒致癌物，使消防員罹患其他疾病的風險更高，如心理健康問題、心臟問題和慢性健康問題。這些問題會隨著年齡的增長而惡化，我們必須採取措施保護那些保護我們的人。
底線？提案H將允許消防員在 55 歲而不是 58 歲退休，從而降低癌症的風險，並拯救生命。
提案H還解決了當前系統中的一個重大不平等問題，即是2012 年之前受聘的人員可以在55 歲退休，但2012 年之後受聘的人員必須等到58 歲才能退休。透過標準化的退休年齡，提案H確保公平對待所有消防員，無論其何時獲聘。
支持提案H是為了拯救生命並糾正目前系統中的錯誤。提前的退休將減少消防員面臨的長期健康風險，遏制不斷上漲的工傷賠償費用，並確保所有人的退休年齡都是公平的。
我敦促您投票贊成提案H，並成為 SF 英雄的英雄。
Jennifer Brokaw, MD
這項論據的刊登費用的資金真正來源是： 為了消防員的健康和安全贊成提案H，三藩市消防員工會本地798。
委員會提供資金的真正來源的三大貢獻者是：1. 三藩市消防員工會本地798 PAC， 2. 洛杉磯市聯合消防員本地 112 - 議題委員會， 3. 三藩市消防員工會本地798 - 普通基金。
Paid Arguments Against Proposition H
無人提交反對提案提案H的付費論據
Legal Text
Describing and setting forth a proposal to the voters at an election to be held on November 5, 2024, to amend the Charter of the City and County of San Francisco to change the age factor percentage for benefit calculations such that persons who have or will become members of the Fire Department on and after January 7, 2012 reach a higher age factor percentage at earlier ages and lower from 58 to 55 the retirement age at which persons who have or will become members of the Fire Department on and after January 7, 2012 reach the highest age factor percentage.
Section 1. Findings.
(b) Proposition C amended the Charter to increase pension contribution rates for employees hired on and after January 7, 2012. In addition, it raised the retirement ages for which members of the Fire Department hired on and after January 7, 2012 receive the highest percentage for each year of credited service for retirement benefit calculations and raised the age at which employees reach the highest percentage from age 55 to 58.
(c) In the more than 12 years since this pension reform, the financial outlook of the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System has improved significantly.
(d) Members of the Fire Department uniquely face both short- and long-term health
complications as a result of their occupation. The City relies on our firefighters to be the first responders to a plethora of dangerous circumstances, most notably active fires but also many other instances of trauma or tragedy. Beyond these immediate high-risk threats, the conditions that City firefighters endure have demonstrably increased their risk of adverse long-term health impacts. According to the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation, San Francisco’s female firefighters have a rate of breast cancer that is six times higher than the national average, and over the past 20 years, the Fire Department has lost more than 300 firefighters to cancer. Furthermore, national research shows that firefighters experience higher rates of behavioral health issues than the general public. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, 20% of firefighters and paramedics meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress at some point during their careers, while the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation reports that the suicide rate for firefighters is higher than the rate for the general public.
(e) Additionally, the Fire Department has few positions that are not directly in the field, meaning that members of the Fire Department are asked to enter active fires and other dangerous circumstances regardless of their age. In 2024, only approximately 180 out of 1800 positions in the San Francisco Fire Department are not “in the field” or on frontline service delivery, and these jobs are dependent on promotions, not seniority of employee tenure. As a result, the risk of severe injury and health complications is further heightened for members of the Fire Department over age 55, as demonstrated by data from the Department of Human Resources that show a positive correlation between increased age, number of injuries, and workers’
compensation claim costs.
(f) This Charter amendment aims to recognize the distinctive and brave work of the members of the Fire Department and to lessen the adverse health impacts firefighters experience. By allowing members of the Fire Department to retire with up to 90% of their final compensation at age 55 while maintaining the increased contribution rates for employees imposed by Proposition C in 2011, the City simultaneously accomplishes these important goals. In doing so, the City ensures that our firefighters can enter retirement with financial security without facing an additional three years of potential health risks.
Section 2. The Board of Supervisors hereby submits to the qualified voters of the City and County, at an election to be held on November 5, 2024, a proposal to amend the Charter of the City and County by revising Sections A8.604, A8.604-1, and A8.604-2, and adding Section A8.604-17, to read as follows:
NOTE: Unchanged Charter text and uncodified text are in plain font.
Additions are single-underline italics Times New Roman font.
Deletions are strike-through italics Times New Roman font.
Asterisks (* * * *) indicate the omission of unchanged Charter subsections.
A8.604 MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON AND AFTER JANUARY 7, 2012
Persons who become members of the fire department, as defined in Section A8.604-1, on and after January 7, 2012, shall be members of the Retirement System subject to the provisions of Sections A8.604 through A8.604-176 in addition to such other applicable provisions of this Charter, including but not limited to Sections 12.100 and A8.500.
A8.604-1 DEFINITIONS
The following words and phrases as used in this Section, Section A8.604, and Sections A8.604-2 through A8.604-176, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, shall have the following meanings:
"Retirement allowance," "death allowance," or "allowance," shall mean equal monthly payments, beginning to accrue upon the date of retirement, or upon the day following the date of death, as the case may be, and continuing for life unless a different term of payment is definitely provided by the context.
"Compensation," as distinguished from benefits under the Workers' Compensation laws of the State of California shall mean all remuneration whether in cash or by other allowances made by the City and County, for service qualifying for credit under this Section, but excluding remuneration for overtime and such other forms of compensation excluded by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to Section A8.500 of the Charter. Remuneration shall not mean new premiums or allowances first paid by the City and County after January 7, 2012, that exceed the rate of pay fixed for each classification for service qualifying for credit under this Section. For members with concurrent service in more than one position, "compensation" shall be limited to the first hours paid during any fiscal year equal to one full-time equivalent position. "Compensation" for any fiscal year shall not include remuneration that exceeds 75% of the limits set forth in Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a)(17) and as amended from time to time.
Subject to the requirements that it be payable in cash, and that overtime and new premiums or allowances first paid by the City and County after January 7, 2012 are excluded, "compensation" for pension purposes may be defined in a collective bargaining agreement.
"Compensation earnable" shall mean the compensation which would have been earned had the member received compensation without interruption throughout the period under consideration and at the rates of remuneration attached at that time to the ranks or positions held by him or her the member during such period, it being assumed that during any absence, he or she the member was in the rank or position held by him or her the member at the beginning of the absence, and that prior to becoming a member of the fire department, he or she the member was in the rank or position first held by him or her the member in such department.
"Benefit" shall include "allowance," "retirement allowance," "death allowance" and "death benefit."
"Final compensation" shall mean the average monthly compensation earned by a member during the higher of any three consecutive fiscal years of earnings or the thirty six consecutive months of earnings immediately prior to retirement.
For the purpose of Sections A8.604 through A8.604-176, the terms "member of the fire department," "member of the department," or "member" shall mean any member of the fire department employed on and after January 7, 2012, who was or shall be subject to the Charter provisions governing entrance requirements of members of the uniformed force of said department and said terms shall further mean persons employed on and after January 7, 2012, at an age not greater than the maximum age then prescribed for entrance into employment in said
uniformed force, to perform duties now performed under the titles of pilot of fireboats, or marine engineer of fireboats; provided, however, that said terms shall not include any person who has not satisfactorily completed such course of training as may be required by the fire department prior to assignment to active duty with said department.
“Qualified for service retirement," "qualification for service retirement," or "qualified as to age and service for retirement," as used in this Section and other Sections to which persons who are members under Section A8.604 are subject, shall mean completion of 25 years of service and attainment of age 50, said service to be computed under Section A8.604-10.
"Retirement System" or "system" shall mean San Francisco City and County Employees' Retirement System as created in Sections 12.100 and A8.500 of the Charter.
"Retirement Board" shall mean "Retirement Board" as created in Section 12.100 of the Charter.
"Charter" shall mean the Charter of the City and County of San Francisco.
* * * *
"Interest" shall mean interest at the rate adopted by the Retirement Board.
A8.604-2 SERVICE RETIREMENT
Any member of the fire department, who completes at least five years of service in the aggregate and attains the age of fifty (50) years, said service to be computed under Section A8.604-10, may retire for service at his or her the member’s option. A member retired after meeting the service and age requirements in the preceding sentence, shall receive a retirement allowance equal to the percent of final compensation (as defined in Section A8.604-1) set forth below opposite his or her the member’s age at retirement, taken to the preceding completed quarter year, for each year of service, as computed under Section A8.604-10:
|
|
| Age at Retirement | Percent for Each Year of Credited Service |
|
50 50.25 |
2.400 2.430 |
| 50.5 | 2.460 |
| 50.75 | 2.490 |
| 51 | 2.520 |
| 51.25 | 2.550 |
| 51.5 | 2.580 |
| 51.75 | 2.610 |
| 52 | 2.640 |
| 52.25 | 2.670 |
| 52.5 | 2.700 |
| 52.75 | 2.730 |
| 53 | 2.760 |
| 53.25 | 2.790 |
| 53.5 | 2.820 |
| 53.75 | 2.850 |
| 54 | 2.880 |
| 54.25 | 2.910 |
| 54.5 | 2.940 |
| 54.75 | 2.970 |
| 55+ | 3.000 |
In no event shall a member’s initial retirement allowance exceed 90%ninety percent of his or her the member’s average final compensation.
A8.604-17 APPLICABILITY
The amendment to Sections A8.604-1 and A8-604-2, effective January 1, 2025, shall not apply to any member of the Retirement System who separated from service, retired, or died before that date, or to that member’s continuant.