San Diego County Employees Retirement Ass'n v. Superior Court

San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA) seeks a writ of mandate to overturn the trial court’s order granting the petition of California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility (CFFR) and Marcia Fritz 1 under the California Public Records Act (the Act) (Gov. Code, § 6250 et seq.) 2 to compel the disclosure of the names of retirees who in any month in 2010 received $8,333 or more in pension benefits, the pension amounts, and how they were calculated. SDCERA contends the records are statutorily exempt from disclosure, and alternatively, on balance the interests of retirees in privacy outweigh the public’s interest in disclosure. In line with the Third District Court of Appeal’s recent opinion in Sacramento County Employees’ Retirement System v. Superior Court (2011) 195 Cal.App.4th 440 [ 125 Cal.Rptr.3d 655 ] (SCERS), we find no error and deny the petition.

*1233 FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

SDCERA, which administers the retirement system for San Diego County employees, is governed by the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (CERL) (§ 31450 et seq.). Annually, SDCERA is required to file with the county auditor’s office and the board of supervisors a…