HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-03-09 - RESOLUTIONS - WORKERS COMPENSATION REFORM (2)RESOLUTION NO. 04-26
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, WORKERS' COMPENSATION REFORM
WHEREAS, the State of California workers' compensation system features employers
paying the highest costs in the nation; and
WHEREAS, injured workers receive benefit checks which are among the lowest in the
nation; and
WHEREAS, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, during his 2004 State of the State
Address, identified workers' compensation reform as one of the key issues which the Legislature
must address in 2004 to keep California economically competitive; and
WHEREAS, on his second day in office, November 18, 2003, Governor Schwarzenegger
called the California Legislature into Special Session, 2003/04 4X, for purposes of reforming the
workers' compensation system; and
WHEREAS, 26 bills currently pending in the Legislature address specific elements of the
workers' compensation issue; and
WHEREAS, the California Chamber of Commerce is the leading voice in calling fcr
workers' compensation reform through the Workers' Compensation Action Network; and
WHEREAS, 43 states have workers' compensation costs that average more than three.
percent of payroll with California leading those costs at over six percent of payroll; and
WHEREAS, California employers pay 184 percent more in premiums than employers
located in the state of Oregon; and
WHEREAS, in 2003, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski aggressively sought to lure
California businesses to Oregon, citing California's runaway workers' compensation costs; and
WHEREAS, employers throughout the State of California have been subjected to double
digit insurance premium increases each year for the past three years; and
WHEREAS, employee organizations throughout the State of California are concerned
that benefits for legitimate workers' compensation claims may be reduced; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita currently pays $813,000 annually for workers'
T compensation premiums, which represents an increase of 41% from the prior year when the
City's claims were reduced by 25%; and
WHEREAS, the solution to this problem resides with the California Legislature who
must enact meaningful and substantial reform this year.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita does hereby resolve
as follows:
SECTION 1. The California Legislature and Governor Schwarzenegger must enact
meaningful and comprehensive workers' compensation reform in 2004.
SECTION 2. Certified copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to the members of
Santa Clarita's state legislative delegation, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, appropriate
committees of the California Legislature and the League of California Cities.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 91h day of March, 2004.
/ Affil
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ATTEST:
�1
CITY CLERK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA )
I, Sharon L. Dawson, CMC, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that
the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at a
regular meeting thereof, held on the 9`h day of March, 2004, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Ferry, McLean, Smyth, Weste, Kellar
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
CITY CLERK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF SANTA CLARlTA )
CERTIFICATION OF
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION
I, Sharon L. Dawson, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that this is a true
and correct copy of the original Resolution No. 04-26, adopted by the City Council of the City of
Santa Clarita, California on March 9, 2004, which is now on file in my office.
Witness my hand and seal of the City of Santa Clarita, California, this _ day of
,20—.
_ Sharon L. Dawson, CMC
City Clerk
RV
Susan Coffman
Deputy City Clerk