To: sactoletters@newsreview.com
From: James McRitchie <jm@perswatch.net>
Subject: letter to the editor
Re "Payola Proposal" (SN&R, 6/25)
Thanks for the warning on AB 1864, let's not make it any easier for lawmakers to enrich themselves through gifts.
Those concerned with conflicts of interest should also look at their pension funds. The president of CalPERS, for example, also sits on the board of a company putting together joint ventures, Pacific Rim Prosperity, and has been accepting gifts from those doing business with CalPERS for ten years. Although William Crist recently claimed "there has been no evidence or even suspicion of corruption by any CalPERS fiduciaries because of political contributions or gifts," board members have been the subject of several articles in the press, an FBI investigation, and Legislative action concerned with deals involving relatives and former board members, gifts, high living, extensive travel, and campaign contributions funded by those doing business with CalPERS.
An Alcohol and Beverage Control employee had disciplinary action taken against them for accepting a free drink from a bartender. Yet, Crist apparently sees nothing wrong with accepting dinners for himself and his spouse, basketball tickets and free travel from those doing business with CalPERS.
And remember that $1 billion lawsuit CalPERS members won against the Wilson administration in 1997? Governor Wilson used it as an excuse for not giving state employees a cost of living increase. Of course, it didn't stop him from accepting a whopping $34,000 pay raise and a $4,416 per year increase in his own pension. The board, under the "leadership" of William D. Crist, recently voted to return it to the Wilson administration. They cut the state's contribution rate in half, reducing the state's payments by $750,000,000 each year, enough to give state employees an 8% pay raise.
It makes you wonder, who is William Crist working for? If elected to the CalPERS Board, I'll refuse gifts, avoid conflicts of interest and remember that my duty to CalPERS participants and their beneficiaries shall take precedence over any other duty.
Jim McRitchie
CalPERS Board Candidate
Contact: 
jm@perswatch.net