News Blog
P.G. Discontents Protest City Manager
April 4, 2012
It's 5pm on a sunny but windy Wednesday afternoon, and the Pacific Grove Neighbors are heading to City Hall to protest the performance of City Manager Tom Frutchey.
"You pick the topic," says group leader Terrence Zito. "There's freedom of speech, fast food, the interpretation of Measure R, the budget, taxes, the tree ordinance…"
A sampling of Zito's own signs includes: "No More Fast Food in Pacific Grove," "Save P.G.—Fire Frutchey," "Enforce Measure R" and "Pagrovians for Free Speech."
Measure R is the citizens' initiative to put a cap on city contribution to employees' CalPERS retirement funds. In July 2010, the City Council also approved an ordinance to limit public CalPERS contributions to 10 percent. But the city hasn't actually cut back its contributions yet; Frutchey says the ordinance appears to be in conflict with some provisions of the state pension laws.
“People think that we’re stonewalling them, which we’re not," he says. “To wend our way through the various mine fields is going to be challenging. PERS is not something that we can solve locally overnight.”
As for his own plans during the protest, Frutchey says: “I’m going to dress up and attend."
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