Proposed Changes to the SPSP Plan Document

The City of San Diego is proposing to make changes to the SPSP Plan Document.  Those changes require an affirmative majority vote of active SPSP members, including most MEA-represented employees.  Eligible employees should be receiving ballot materials from the City this week.

MEA has reviewed the proposed changes and supports a “YES” vote.

Most of the changes came about as a result of new legislation and IRS rules that affect several areas of the Plan Document.  Most of the proposed changes are beneficial to employees, such as expanding opportunities for “hardship withdrawals” and permitting some additional transfer and distribution options.  There is also a proposed addition that codifies what MEA, Local 127, and DCAA have already agreed to in a previous MOU, namely that employees hired after July 1, 2009 are not eligible to participate in SPSP.

In the process of reviewing the proposals, MEA requested that the City remove two changes that it originally wanted to make, and the City agreed to strike those two provisions, including a provision to provide the City Attorney with unilateral “amendment authority for legally required amendments” that MEA could not support.

Based on the proposed changes as they have been reviewed by MEA, and based on the changes agreed to by the City as a result of our input, MEA supports the proposed SPSP Plan Document changes and urges a “YES” vote on your ballot.  If you have any questions or need additional information after you receive your ballot materials, please don’t hesitate to contact MEA at 619-264-6632.