Business leaders push public pension changes in Los Angeles

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While state lawmakers in Sacramento mull public pension changes, another battle is brewing in Los Angeles.

Kate Linthicum and David Zahniser report in Thursday’s Los Angeles Times that a coalition of L.A. business leaders is pushing the city to tackle the rising cost of public employee pensions.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has already suggested scaling back benefits and increasing the retirement age for new employees. But the proposal being pushed by the business leaders would also affect current employees.

David Fleming of the Los Angeles County Business Federation said supporters may ask for residents to vote on the plan if city leaders don’t make changes on their own.

Residents in San Jose and San Diego have already approved pension cutbacks for public employees in those cities.

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