CASTELLANO v. CITY OF NEW YORK

Nos. 96-7920, 96-9004(CON), 96-9257, 96-9289, 96-9601, 96-9237.

142 F.3d 58 (1998)

Peter CASTELLANO, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. The CITY OF NEW YORK, et al., Defendants-Appellees. Ronald GRABOSKI, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. Rudolph GUILIANI, et al., Defendants-Appellees. Alphonse ADORNETTI, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. NEW YORK CITY EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM, et al., Defendants-Appellees. John A. CLIFFORD, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. NEW YORK POLICE PENSION FUND, et al., Defendants-Appellees. Serafino F. VELARDI, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. The NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT PENSION FUND, Defendant-Appellee.

United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.

Decided February 24, 1998.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Ronald Podolsky, Hauppauge, NY, for Plaintiffs-Appellants in Docket Nos. 96-7920 and 96-9004(CON).

Irving Anolik, New York City, for Plaintiff-Appellant Peter Harris in Docket Nos. 96-7920 and 96-9004(CON).

James J. Dwyer, New York City (Paul A. Crotty, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, John Hogrogian, Pamela Seider Dolgow, Anshel David, Marta B. Soja, of counsel, on the brief) for Municipal Defendants-Appellees in Docket Nos. 96-7920 and 96-9004(CON).

Martin Bienstock, Assistant Attorney General, New York City (Dennis C. Vacco, Attorney General of the State of New York, Barbara G. Billet, Solicitor General, Thomas D. Hughes, Assistant Solicitor General, of counsel, on the brief), for State Defendants-Appellees in Docket Nos. 96-7920 and 96-9004(CON).

Elliot I. Susser, Lysaght, Lysaght & Kramer, P.C., Lake Success, NY, for Defendants-Appellees The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of the City of New York and their Trustees on the Police Pension Fund in Docket Nos. 96-7920 and 96-9004(CON).

Jennifer S. Goldstein, Washington, DC (C. Gregory Stewart, General Counsel, Gwendolyn Young Reams, Associate General Counsel, Lorraine C. Davis, Assistant General Counsel, on the brief) Amicus Curiae, for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Docket Nos. 96-7920 and 96-9004(CON).

Edward Copeland, Cary Lacheen, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, New York City, Robert L. Schonfeld, Stein & Schonfeld, New York City, Amicus Curiae, for American Civil Liberties Union, et al. in Docket Nos. 96-7920 and 96-9004(CON).

Richard A. Dienst, Leslie H. Ben-Zvi, Dienst & Serrins, LLP, New York City, for Defendants-Appellees Detectives' Endowment Association, Captains' Endowment Association, Sergeants' Benevolent Association and Lieutenants' Benevolent Association, New York City Police Department in Docket Nos. 96-7920 and 96-9004(CON).

Kevin P. Fitzpatrick, Williston Park, NY (Kevin P. Fitzpatrick, P.C., Williston Park, NY, Martin N. Silberman, Marc Alain Steier, Silberman & Rhine, P.C., New York City, on the brief) for Plaintiffs-Appellants in Docket No. 96-9257.

James J. Dwyer, New York City (Paul A. Crotty, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, John Hogrogian, Pamela Seider Dolgow, Anshel David, Marta B. Soja, of counsel, on the brief), for Municipal Defendants-Appellees in Docket No. 96-9257.

Tina Kremenezky, New York City (Richard M. Betheil, Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn, New York City, joining in the brief for Municipal Appellees), for Defendant-Appellee Uniformed Fire Officers Association and Uniformed Fire Officers Association Executive Board in Docket No. 96-9257.

Michael N. Block, New York City (Sullivan & Liapakis, New York City), for Defendants-Appellees Uniformed Firefighters Association and Trustees in Docket No. 96-9257.

Daniel T. Campbell, P.C., Daniel T. Campbell, Floral Park, NY, for Amicus Curiae COAPP-VSF, Inc. in Docket No. 96-9257.

Martin N. Silberman, New York City (Silberman & Rhine, P.C., New York City, Kevin P. Fitzpatrick, Kevin P. Fitzpatrick, P.C., Williston Park, NY, on the brief), for Plaintiffs-Appellants in Docket No. 96-9289.

James J. Dwyer, New York City (Paul A. Crotty, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, John Hogrogian, Pamela Seider Dolgow, Anshel David, Marta B. Soja, of counsel, on the brief), for Municipal Defendants-Appellees in Docket No. 96-9289.

Tina Kremenezky, New York City (Richard M. Betheil, Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn, New York City), for Defendant-Appellee Uniformed Fire Officers Association and Uniformed Fire Officers Association Executive Board in Docket No. 96-9289.

Michael N. Block, New York City (Sullivan & Liapakis, New York City), for Defendants-Appellees Uniformed Firefighters Association and Trustees in Docket No. 96-9289.

Dennis C. Vacco, Attorney General of the State of New York, New York City, Barbara G. Billet, Solicitor General, Thomas D. Hughes, Assistant Solicitor General, Martin Bienstock, Assistant Attorney General, of Counsel, New York City, for State Defendants-Appellees in Docket No. 96-9289.

John A. Clifford, Pro Se, Long Beach, NY, in Docket No. 96-9601.

James J. Dwyer, New York City (Paul A. Crotty, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, John Hogrogian, of counsel), for Municipal Defendants-Appellees in Docket No. 96-9601.

Serafino F. Velardi, Pro Se, Port St. Lucie, FL, in Docket No. 96-9237.

John Hogrogian, New York City (Paul A. Crotty, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, New York City), for Defendant-Appellee in Docket No. 96-9237.

Before: OAKES, WALKER, and PARKER, Circuit Judges.


WALKER, Circuit Judge:

In this appeal, various classes of police and fire officers in New York City who retired with disability pensions press their claims, rejected below, that the city and applicable pension funds are discriminating against them by denying them benefits from more lucrative variable supplement funds ("VSF") that are available only to retirees who retire after twenty years of service and who do not already receive disability pensions. This appeal...

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