Obama administration punishes Gov. Brown for pension changes

The San Jose Mercury News reports:

The Obama administration is holding up federal transit money for California as it continues to claim Gov. Jerry Brown's 2012 pension changes violate workers' collective bargaining rights -- a dispute that will affect transportation agencies throughout the state, including Santa Clara County's VTA.

A federal judge in Sacramento rejected the administration's argument, ruling Dec. 30 that U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez' 2013 threat to block funds was "arbitrary and capricious."

But the labor department has filed a notice that it plans to appeal. Meanwhile, it is not acting on transit grant applications from California as it studies the lower court ruling. The governor plans to fight to ensure that transit workers are covered by the same laws that apply to all other public employees affected by the state reforms.

"The administration has never believed that (the pension changes) diminished the bargaining rights of transit workers," said Brown spokesman Jim Evans. "We believe that grant money should flow to California transit agencies without delay."

The battle of the rent-seekers.