Clout, Conflicts and Controversies: Everything about CalPERS is BIG

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If it Ain’t Broke…

     The resulting pattern suggests a third-world nation’s crazy-quilt attempt to placate every tribe in the country, but it works and change is unlikely.  Former Gov. Pete Wilson tried to abolish the system in favor of having only nine board members, all appointed by him.  The bill was defeated.            

     Two members by virtue of their office are State Treasurer Philip Angelides, who vigorously opposed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bond bailout plan, and State Controller Steve Westly.  Both have been quick to take credit for various CalPERS victories and each is believed to be positioning himself as a future candidate for governor.  But on or off the board of CalPERS, any state treasurer or controller is likely to be ambitious for higher office.            

     The six directors elected by the people CalPERS serves are union-friendly because nearly all CalPERS members are unionized.  They’re hardly going to vote for the human resources director at Wal-Mart Stores.  Thus, the board’s vice president and chairman of the investment committee is a Napa Valley school district windowpane installer, Rob Feckner, who was elected by school members statewide.            

     CalPERS’ president is named by the state’s personnel board, which also understandably chose a union man — Sean Harrigan, who’s also an executive vice president of the food workers’ union that took quite a beating in the Southern California supermarket workers’ strike earlier this year, despite his efforts on their behalf.

Political Placements    

Former Governor Grey Davis appointed two members — Sidney L. Abrams, a trustee of the food workers’ union, and Willie L. Brown Jr., former San Francisco mayor. When their terms expire on January 15 (2005 for Abrams, 2007 for Brown), doubtless the next nominees will in turn be criticized as being too political.        

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