PROP I: IMPROVE RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR NURSES AND 911 OPERATORS

This measure would allow certain registered nurses to tap into our city’s retirement plan and increase their pension benefits, with the hope of recruiting more nurses amidst current staffing shortages. This measure would also allow 911 operators, supervisors, and coordinators to move to a different retirement plan starting next year that would lead to increased retirement benefits, which are available to many other emergency first responders.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we depended on nurses to get us through an unprecedented time of overcrowded waiting rooms and severe staffing shortages. Nurses put, and continue to put, their lives on the line to make sure their patients get the healthcare they need – even during extremely difficult times like the pandemic. It’s time we improve retirement benefits for nurses to recruit more nurses and address unacceptable staffing shortages.