As the largest city in a state currently undergoing massiveissues (and a revolutionary wave of tough changes) related topublic pension plans, Los Angeles finds itself in an especiallyloud debate mode this year.

The Los Angeles Times reports that several of themayoral candidates running for the March 5 civic election havebegun to attack former Mayor Richard Riordan's plans to seriouslyoverhaul the city's large and expensive pension plan, which hehopes to get on the ballot.

Riordan's proposals would call for new hires to move into a newDC system, rather than the existing city pension plan; it's a movewhich has been adopted (and is being disputed in the courtroom) bycities including San Diego and San Jose, as well as being adoptedas a new guideline for state employees by Governor Jerry Brown.

The proposal has been created to try to address a $216 millionbudget shortfall for 2013.

City Councilman Eric Garcetti, one of the candidates, saidRiordan's plan would make it difficult for the city to generate themoney required to pay for existing employees, as their pensionswould not disappear - costly, long-term obligations that have ledto bankruptcy proceedings in California cities including SanBernardino and Stockton.

"In simple terms, [the plan] costs us more," he said at acampaign stop Thursday.

City Councilwoman Jan Perry said she also opposes the plan.

"I think converting from pensions to 401(k)s is a highly riskyproposition that could back money out of the general fund," shetold the Times.

Riordan, a multimillionaire businessman, agreed earlier in theweek to a series of debates on his proposal with the Los Angelescity police union.

"Riordan has chosen to hide behind carefully orchestrated radiotalk-show appearances where no challenging or insightful questionsare asked, appearances before groups where he knows his ideas won'tbe challenged, and well-crafted media releases that lack anypretense of substance," said, Tyler Izen, president of the L.A.Police Protective League.

Riordan has until Dec. 7 to collect approximately 265,000signatures to put the proposal on next year's ballot.