California: Sonoma County pension board agrees to release pension data

After a state appellate court ruled that the Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Association could not refuse the Santa Rosa Press Democrat’s requests under California Public Records Act for pension figures for county government retirees, the pension fund board acceded to the requests. In withholding the information, the pension fund board was complying with a 1937 [...]

California appeals court finds county pensions are public

A California appeals court ruled that the pension records of retired county employees are public upholding a lower court ruling that supported government accountability. The appeals court said the lower court was correct in finding that the  public’s interest in the records outweighed the privacy of retirees. The association representing the retirees argued that disclosure [...]

Public agency pensions: Editorial reaffirms public’s right-to-know

An editorial in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat calls for the Sonoma County employee association to release information on pensioners receiving over $100,000 a year. In a recent case in Sacramento County, a judge ruled that under California’s Brown Act Sacramento County could not keep pension information from the public. -db Pubilc agency pensions: Editorial [...]

Court orders release of county retirees’ pension payments in case filed by FAC and the Sacramento Bee

In an important legal victory, the Superior Court in Sacramento has ruled that the pension system for county government workers must make public retirees’ names, and their pension benefits, for all retirees receiving $100,000 or more per year. The decision is the result of a lawsuit filed jointly by the First Amendment Coalition and the [...]

Judge rules challenge to records release a SLAPP

While acknowledging that a plaintiff had no right to keep pension records private, a Superior Court judge ruled that the plaintiff’s concern about her privacy was legitimate and dismissed a motion for attorney fees brought by media concerns. -DB Metropolitan News-Enterprise September 8, 2009 By Steven M. Ellis An action by a group of newspapers against [...]

Modesto: Newspaper sues for county pension records

The Modesto Bee is suing to obtain records from the Stanislaus County Employees’ Retirement Association of pension records that would show which public retirees are getting the most lucrative pensions. -DB Modesto Bee August 29, 2009 By Ken Carlson The Modesto Bee is seeking a court order to compel the Stanislaus County Employees’ Retirement Association to [...]

Judge says government pension records subject to disclosure

The California Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that names and salaries of government employees are public record but did not specifically mention retirees. A Contra Costa judge has now ruled that that records of county’s pension funds must be disclosed. -DB Metropolitan News-Enterprise July 15, 2009 By Sherrim M. Okamoto A county’s pension records are not [...]