The Way It Is Now:

The City reimburses employees for some job-related educational and training expenses, but the City does not reimburse student loans for any of its employees.

The City does not have a fund into which the Board of Supervisors (Board) and Mayor can put City money or receive private donations to reimburse City employees' student loans or job-related educational and training expenses.

The Department of Human Resources oversees the hiring, development, support and retention of the City's workforce.

The Proposal:

Proposition __ would create a City fund dedicated to helping reimburse eligible employees for their student loans and job-related educational and training expenses up to $25,000. Only sworn members of the Police, Fire and Sheriff's departments, paramedics, Registered Nurses and 911 dispatchers, supervisors or coordinators who meet certain requirements would be eligible to receive payments from the fund.

In the future, the Board and the Mayor could decide to place City money into this fund, but the City would not be required to do so. The City could receive private donations in this fund.

Proposition __ would allow the Department of Human Resources to create a program to provide student loan and education and training reimbursement payments up to $25,000 for each eligible employee. These payments would only begin once the fund contains at least $1,000,000 (one million dollars).

What Your Vote Means:

• A "YES" Vote: If you vote "yes," you want to create a fund that the City could use to help reimburse eligible City employees, including police officers, firefighters, sheriffs, paramedics, Registered Nurses and 911 dispatchers, for student loans and education and training programs.
• A "NO" Vote: If you vote "no," you do not want to create this fund.

1. The proposed ordinance would establish the First Responder Student Loan Forgiveness Fund to cover student loan payments and education costs for certain City employees.

2. The Department of Human Resources may start making payments once the Fund contains at least $1 million.

3. The cost impact of the ordinance depends on future budget decisions by the Mayor and Board of Supervisors.

4. If implemented, the ordinance could have minimal impact or cost up to approximately $315,000 annually for program administration.

5. Administrative costs could range from $125,000 to $315,000 annually for one to two new staff within the Department of Human Resources to administer the Fund.