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QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.

▪ Alex Haley (Dec 1987)

RESDC DAY AT THE PADRES

San Diego Padres Vs. Colorado Rockies
Wednesday, September 20, 2023, 1:10 p.m.

We will be located in general seating at the game and a limited number of tickets (40) are available for purchase on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE basis. Ticket price is $43.50 per person.

To purchase tickets:

Option 1 – Pay with a credit card. Please go online to: https://www.resdc.net/events. Click the green “Register” button and follow the steps to register and pay. You will need to use the email address associated with your member account. Need assistance? Contact us at (619) 688-9229 or resdc@resdc.net.

Option 2 – Pay with a check made payable to RESDC and mail to 8825 Aero Dr., Suite 205, San Diego, CA 92123.

Please note: Tickets are only available digitally and will be forwarded via email and uploaded through the MLB Ballpark app, located in your App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store. For more information, visit: https://www.mlb.com/padres/tickets/mobile/guide □

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Chris Heiserman

Almost daily in printed and online news accounts we read of public officials being harassed or threatened. It’s not as routine as the senseless gun violence and mass shootings that have plagued America all year long, but it is concerning. According to a December 2021 survey by the Washington Post and University of Maryland, about one-third of our population believe violence against the government is justified.In an opinion column in the San Diego Union Tribune on June 25, 2023, Steven P. Dinkin, president of a San Diego-based organization studying issues of intolerance and incivility, wonders: “Why would anyone want to serve in public office today?” He cites a shockingly rancorous November 2021 public meeting of the County Board of Supervisors as an example of what he feels is a threat to democracy itself. That meeting was long and boisterous, with a parade of caustic testimony from citizens using racist, hateful, and threatening speech to protest the county’s pandemic responses of school and business in-person closures and rules for facial coverings and social distancing.

After the acrimonious, unruly public confrontation with belligerent citizens, the Board decided to adopt the National Conflict Resolution Center’s Code of Civil Discourse, which offers guidelines for conducting respectful public meetings. In his op-ed article, Dinkin shared preliminary findings from a grant-funded survey of 328 San Diego area elected officials conducted by two local researchers: Rachel Locke, director of the Violence, Inequality and Power Lab at the University of San Diego’s (USD) Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice; and Carl Luna, director of the Institute for Civil Engagement, a collaboration between USD and the San Diego Community College District.

Besides interviewing these local leaders, the pair reviewed extensive literature on the topic, including standard media resources and social media (for example, 400,000 Twitter posts). Locke and Luna said 75% of the officials reported being threatened or harassed, and 52% of those threatened have considered leaving public service as a result.

Luna said the threatening tactic is not unique to San Diego; organized harassment against public officials is a national phenomenon. It’s part of a broader strategy by fringe groups to undermine majority rule. Disrupting meetings and intimidating officials creates an angry environment that erodes trust in public institutions. Responsible citizens who would normally be proud to consider spending some time in public service can have reservations when faced with the prospect of hostility and disrespect.

Dinkin suggests changing meeting rules of conduct, placing guardrails on hate speech and protecting officials from intimidation. However, he admits there is no simple fix for the problem since First Amendment free speech standards and public meeting participation protocols allow wide latitude to those addressing their elected representatives (even heckling is usually tolerated unless it’s especially disruptive).

He feels the real challenge is to somehow tamp down the anger that is leading to the violence and harassment. He correctly notes that irate individuals will not respond favorably to being bluntly told their point of view is meritless. Rather than insist someone is just wrong, he proposes making an effort to listen, letting them know they are being heard. Unfortunately, it is easier said than done.

El Cajon Gets a Budgeting Gold Star

In early June the San Diego Union Tribune Editorial Board tipped its hat to the City of El Cajon for what it termed the City’s “debt sanity” in making extra annual payments on its long-term pension liabilities to save millions in projected future interest. The newspaper praised the city for its common sense in realizing that “extra payments now minimized fiscal pain later…” It noted that families and businesses understand the concept of managing debt responsibly, but too often the State of California and many local agencies do not.

In fairness, El Cajon is not the only local government in the state that is making extra contributions over and above its annual programed amount to retire an unfunded pension liability, but it is a good role model. The city adopted a Pension Reform and Fiscal Responsibility Plan in 2013 that calls for making additional payments to its retirement system “whenever fiscally prudent, in order to accelerate the ‘pay down’ of the City’s unfunded pension obligations…” During Fiscal Year 2022-23, the City contributed an extra $5.9 million, and it plans to contribute an additional $4.5 million in 2023-24.

El Cajon City Manager Graham Mitchell has told his City Council that spending budget revenues to retire pension debt early “is not glamorous.” But doesn’t it seem like the right thing to do. □

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BOARD MEMBER PROFILE
JOHN MCTIGHE

A member of the RESDC Board of Directors since December 2013, John retired from the General Services Department in 2007 with 23.5 years of county service. He became RESDC President in January 2016. His County experience also included years with Health and Human Services Agency, Office of Management and Budget, Public Works Agency, and on the staff of a County Supervisor.

John has also owned his own public affairs consulting firm. He earned both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Public Administration from San Diego State University. John taught public administration classes at SDSU for 28 years.

John and his wife Teresa celebrated their 50th anniversary with a family trip to Paris, France. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Along with volunteer service with RESDC in retirement, John enjoys photography and travel, travel, travel. His favorite travel destinations have been Hawaii, Europe, Israel and cruising anywhere. □

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BITS & PIECES

Jean Schoonover celebrated her 87th birthday on March 18, 2023. Jean worked as a ward clerk on the locked men’s unit 200, at Mental Health Services in Hillcrest for seventeen and a half years. She transferred to the Rosecrans facility and worked in Staff Development.

She retired in 1998 after 28.7 years to raise three of her grandchildren. Jean later took a position at Vista Square Elementary in Chula Vista. In 2004 Jean and her grandchildren moved to Lake Elsinore where she took a position at Lakeside High School as a paraeducator, she retired from that position in December 2022 at age 86.

Jean recently completed a voice acting course and hopes to fill the rest of her days doing commercials or audio books. If you remember her, she is on Facebook as Jean Linton Schoonover. □

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CEO UPDATE
SDCERA ROLLING OUT NEW FEATURES FOR MEMBERS

By SDCERA CEO Tracy Sandoval

As SDCERA starts a new fiscal year, we are ushering in a new slate of initiatives to improve how we serve you, our members. Last year, we improved our members’ digital experiences by launching a new website and introducing new features to our SDCERA Member Portal.

Our next year will be devoted to goals that support our strategic objectives: trust fund sustainability, effective administrative governance, excellence in providing member service, high performing workforce, and modernization of information technology. Here are three that may be of particular interest to RESDC members:

1. Online tax withholding calculator: When the IRS launched changes to its tax withholding forms in the beginning of 2023, it introduced a level of complexity that is often confusing. SDCERA plans to launch an online tax withholding calculator to let members estimate their federal and state income tax withholding before they submit a new tax form to SDCERA.
2. Secure Document Upload on SDCERA.org: SDCERA will add a secure document upload feature to sdcera.org which will allow members to securely upload documents including SDCERA forms, retirement applications, powers of attorney, birth, marriage, and death certificates.
3. New Member Portal features: SDCERA will expand the registration options to allow those without a cell phone to register for a Member Portal account. We will also add the ability to update telephone and email addresses through the portal.

You can read all our FY 2024 goals in the SDCERA Strategic and Annual Business Plan found online at:
content.sdcera.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Strategic-Plan.pdf

Register for the SDCERA Member Portal

You can find your personalized pension information at your fingertips through the SDCERA Member Portal. Access your monthly earnings statements or 1099-R tax forms, change your address, or download a pension verification statement on-demand.
Get started at memberportal.sdcera.org.

I hope you have a happy and safe summer! □

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RECENT EVENTS

NCPERS Blog Post: The ESG Debate: How Recent Legislation Is Impacting Retirement Fund Best Practices.

The National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) recently posted an interesting blog post on the debate on investing in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) funds. Here’s an excerpt:

Utilizing an ESG framework to invest is nothing new, but it has been rapidly growing in popularity, with global ESG fund assets reaching approximately $2.5 trillion at the end of 2022. However, one new and concerning trend has been the recent ESG backlash led by lawmakers.
Recent research shows that, in fact, ESG and non-ESG investing strategies result in similar returns. When weighted by market capitalization, portfolios with ESG preferences did not fare significantly better or worse than non-ESG investments.

Despite this, with the growing politicization of ESG, lawmakers across the country are proposing or adopting legislation to regulate how and what public pension funds invest in. In blue states, the focus has primarily been on divestment from fossil fuels. Most recently, a California bill was introduced that would prevent CalPERS and CalSTRS from making new investments in fossil fuels and would require them to divest by 2030. The CalPERS board voted to oppose the bill, citing the staggering transaction costs and the lack of evidence that divestment would impact the demand for fossil fuel.

To access the full post, visit: https://www.ncpers.org/blog_home.asp

Retirement Security Across Generations Is Faltering in the Post-Pandemic Environment.

Forty-one percent of workers think that future generations of retirees will be worse off than those currently in retirement, according to Post-Pandemic Realities: The Retirement Outlook of the Multigenerational Workforce, a new survey report released by nonprofit Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies® (TCRS) in collaboration with Transamerica Institute®.

“The pandemic and turbulent economy have taken a toll on workers’ employment, finances, and retirement preparations. Without additional support from policymakers and employers, it will be extremely difficult for many workers to recover,” said Catherine Collinson, CEO and president of Transamerica Institute and TCRS.

As part of TCRS’ 23rd Annual Retirement Survey, one of the largest and longest-running surveys of its kind, the study examines the employment, personal finances, and retirement preparations of U.S. workers aged 18 and older and employed by for-profit companies. The report provides comparisons of Generation Z, Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers, and it offers recommendations for workers, employers, and policymakers.

To learn more about the research, visit: https://transamericainstitute.org/research/generations-age#2023generations □

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Elizabeth Forrest, HHSA
Kathryn Gargano, HHSA
Joy Lazo, Superior Court
Greg Maizlish, Public Defender
Maria Riggin, Superior Court
Christy Serra, Probation

*Associate Member

The Surviving Spouse of a RESDC member is eligible for RESDC membership. For enrollment assistance, please call (619) 688-9229. □

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PURCHASE SEE’S CANDIES GIFT CARDS ONLINE

You can now purchase See’s Candies gift cards in our Online Store using your RESDC discount!

RESDC members are offered $25 gift cards for $22, a savings of $3. Gift cards are redeemable at any See’s Candies location or online.
To purchase gift cards online, go to: resdc.wildapricot.org/online-store.

We can only accept credit cards to purchase gift cards online. You may not purchase more than ten gift cards in one transaction.

Note: You need a RESDC member self-service login in order to access the online store. If you need one, please email resdc@resdc.net.

RESDC members are entitled to a 10% group discount on selected items at the two See’s Discount Stores: 3751 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, 92110; and 1830 Marron Road, Carlsbad, 92008. You must ask the See’s sales team which items are selected. You need to show them your RESDC membership card for the discount. Be sure to mention that you are a member of Retired Employees of San Diego County. Occasionally a RESDC member is denied the discount by a clerk at these See’s stores. When this happens, be sure to clarify that you are not an active County employee, but you’re a member of RESDC. The county no longer participates in the See’s group discount program. If you’re still refused a discount, ask to speak to a store manager.

The gift cards are redeemable at any of the See’s retail stores and for online purchases.

If you would like to purchase gift cards through the mail from RESDC, please address an envelope to RESDC, 8825 Aero Drive, Suite 205, San Diego, CA 92123. Enclose a check made out to RESDC for the number of gift cards you would like at $22 for each gift card. Be sure to include postage stamps so we can mail the gift cards to you. Please note: Postage rates increased in July. Enclose one postage stamp if purchasing less than five gift cards. If purchasing over five gift cards enclose 84 cents of postage. If purchasing over nine gift cards enclose $1.08 in postage. See the postage chart at: www.resdc.net/sees-candies-discount. We will supply the return envelope to put the gift cards into. □

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GET INVOLVED WITH MAMA’S KITCHEN

Mama’s Kitchen is a community-driven nonprofit organization that provides medically tailored meals to San Diego residents at risk of malnutrition due to critical illness such as HIV, cancer, congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. San Diego’s critically ill community members can often fall through the cracks of other social services due to being home-bound, lacking physical and cognitive ability, and their need for specific diets to address and improve their fragile health. Together with hundreds of volunteers, businesses, and community supporters, Mama’s Kitchen fills this gap by delivering more than 700,000 medically tailored meals to thousands of critically ill community members, helping them regain their health, preserve their dignity, and keep their families together. All of these services are provided with no age restrictions, no income requirements, and at no cost to our clients.

But none of this work is possible without the help of dedicated volunteers. Each year, hundreds of volunteers help cook, pack, and deliver nutritious meals to clients who are too ill to shop or cook for themselves. You can join this meaningful, fun, and friendly network of volunteers who make a difference every day in San Diego. Volunteer as an individual or sign up as a corporate or social volunteer group. And Mama’s Kitchen delivers meals throughout San Diego County, so you could help deliver meals in your own neighborhood! We would love to have you join our team.

More about volunteer opportunities:

• Types of opportunities include meal delivery, kitchen and staging, phone/office support, and special events
• Shifts are typically 3-4 hours
• Shifts available Monday – Friday from 8 am – 6 pm
• Meal Delivery shifts Tuesdays and Fridays
• Flexible scheduling – volunteer as often as you like, no minimum requirement

Visit mamaskitchen.org or call 619.233.6262 to learn more. □

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IN MEMORIAM FRANCIS “JOE” MCGUIRE

Our friend Joe, 87, passed away on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at Scripps Memorial Hospital. Joe was predeceased by his wife Nita. He is survived by his daughter Marla and his brother Don. Joe was born January 21, 1936.

In 1954 he attended New Mexico State, as an Engineering major in the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts; completion of this degree would have to wait. Joe moved to California and in 1961, became a Civil Engineer for the County of San Diego.

In 1962, Joe married the love of his life Nita; in 1970, at the age of 34, he went back to college, and while working full time to support his wife and daughter, in 1974, Joe obtained his Bachelor of Arts Degree in applied Arts and Sciences in Public Administration.

Joe served the SD County residents for 38 years, until his retirement from the Department of Public Works in July 1999. For the last 7 years, prior to his retirement, Joe served the active County employees on the SD County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA). A nine-member board, Joe was one of two members elected by all active county employees.

In January 2000, Joe was elected by the retired county employees to the Retired Employees of San Diego County (RESDC) Board, where he continued serving all retired County employees until his resignation in 2018. “An astonishing 56 years of service to residents, as well as the employees of San Diego County.”

Joe’s “Celebration of Life’ was held on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at the University City United Church, San Diego, CA. □

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IN MEMORIAM

Darrell Ayers, HHSA
Reba Baldwin, HHSA
Mark Benussi, Planning & Land Use
Delton Burgett, District Attorney
Sharon Carow, Superior Court
Patricia Castle, HHSA
Emma Chevrie
*Stephen Cline, Public Defender
John Donohue
Sandra Dortch, Municipal Court
Maria Escalante, District Attorney
Maria Evetovich
James Feeley, SD Co Retirement
Paul Friedman, Environ Health & Qualiy
S. Garrett, HHSA
Sarah Hanneman, Treasurer & Tax Collector
Sally Hartley, HHSA
Paul Hillery Jr., HHSA
Roseanna Inouye, Sheriff
Bette Kendall-Radtke
Richard King, District Attorney
*John Kinkaid, Agri, Wghts & Meas
Bob Kuykendall, District Attorney
Jacqueline Landers, HHSA
James Leonard, Technology Office
Frances Martin, Public Works
Cynthia McMillan, Superior Court
Robert McNabb, HHSA
Robert Miller
James Moore Jr., District Attorney
Nancy Pickett, HHSA
Betty Riba
Kenneth Ryan
Carolyn Shen, Probation
Jacquelyn Sparks
Shirley Stahl, Superior Court
Patricia Steed, Info Services
Gina Sumera, HHSA
Joseph Tash, Media & Public Relation
Shigeko Thrower
Janet Trautmann, HHSA
Irene Voth, Auditor & Controller
Patricia Walsingham, Superior Court
Jacqueline Webster
*Charles Wilhelm, Probation
Russell Williams, DPW-Airport Enterprise Fund
Harvey Winokur
Ralph Zanoni, HHSA

*Active Employee

MEMBER PRIVACY

Any retiree or surviving spouse who does not want his/her death notice published in the “In Memoriam” column may notify the RESDC office and your privacy will be maintained.

The Surviving Spouse of a RESDC member is eligible for RESDC membership. For enrollment assistance, please call (619) 688-9229. □

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THEO AND EVELYN YAKEL 2023 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Congratulations to the seven recipients of the Theo and Evelyn Yakel Scholarships for 2023! Each student receives $1,500.  The Board members of RESDC, are honored to partner with the San Diego Foundation in this effort:

Abigail E. Patnoe, SPONSOR:  Judith Lemen.
Elyssa J. Wonnell, SPONSOR:  Glenn Sailer.
Garrett Denton, SPONSOR:  Armon George Kneeshaw.
Kaitlyn Oden, SPONSOR:  Robert Morales.
Kaleb Hartman, SPONSOR:  Kathryn Hartman.
Riley Catherine Rippengale, SPONSOR:  John McTighe.
Sydney Sexton, SPONSOR:  Frank Haag.

In 2001, former RESDC member Theo Yakel and his wife, Evelyn, placed a $250,000 endowment with the San Diego Foundation for the purpose of awarding scholarships to children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of members of The Retired Employees of San Diego County (RESDC). The Yakel Scholarships are in addition to and complementary to the scholarships that RESDC awards. This is another opportunity for the families of RESDC members.

Congratulations and good luck to all of the 2023 Scholarship Recipients. □

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RESDC ONLINE SERVICES

Did you know that RESDC has an online Member Directory, which is accessible only to logged-in RESDC members? This is a great way to stay in touch with former co-workers. You can opt-in and choose what information to share by logging into your member self-service account.

The Member Self-Service website can be accessed by going to www.resdc.net and clicking on the menu item for “Member Login.” Please note that you must have an email address on file with us in order to log-in. If you don’t currently receive emails from RESDC and would like to like to join both our email list and the member website, send us your full name and email address by contacting us at resdc@resdc.net or by calling (619) 688-9229.

We encourage you to also follow RESDC on Facebook and Twitter. We share photos from our events, news from around San Diego County, articles related to retirement and pensions, and notices about community events.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetiredEmployeesofSanDiegoCounty
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RESDC

And on the main RESDC website, www.resdc.net, you can:

• Read current and past editions of THE NETWORK.
• See an overview of all available member discounts and benefits.
• View photos from our events.
• Stay up-to-date on pension and retirement news through our News Now page, a curated list of recent articles in the media.
• Visit the RESDC YouTube Channel to view our recorded virtual events. □

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TICKETSATWORK DISCOUNTS

TicketsatWork is the leading corporate travel and entertainment benefits provider. RESDC members may order through TicketsatWork on the internet, by fax, or by mail. The perks you can enjoy with TicketsatWork include:

• Unbeatable prices on over 250K hotels, with savings up to 60%.
• Big savings on movie tickets, concerts, sporting events, tours, attractions, and more.
• Exclusive offers on the most popular theme parks across the country.
• Plus, access to top brands in electronics, apparel, and other offers to help you through all stages of life.

Register today for immediate access to TicketsatWork. Simply provide your email address and company code and start saving. The company code for RESDC members is “Retired”. If you have any questions, please call TicketsatWork at (855) 240-7404. To order tickets visit:
https://www.ticketsatwork.com/tickets/.

All orders received by 2 pm (PST) Monday-Friday are processed and shipped the same day via UPS.
E-ticketing options are also available for many venues, and orders received by 4:30 pm Monday-Friday are issued the same day. □

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THE NETWORK is the official monthly newsletter of the Retired Employees of San Diego County, Inc. (RESDC), a private non-profit organization.

The information printed in THE NETWORK is believed to be from reliable sources. However, no responsibility is assumed by THE NETWORK for inaccuracies contained herein.

Business and Inquiries: Business matters and address changes may be recorded on our voicemail at any time, call (866) 688-9229. Please spell your name so the correct member record can be located.

Retired Employees of San Diego County, Inc.
8825 Aero Drive, Suite 205 | San Diego, CA 92123
Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday
TELEPHONE: (866) 688-9229 Toll Free
FAX: (619) 688-0766
E-MAIL: resdc@resdc.net