Search

The search page has more options.

	Web PensionTsunami.com

News Archives

All the news that has appeared on PensionTsunami.com.

December 19, 2008

• Madoff Only the No. 2 Ponzi Scheme (column)
• PENSION PULSE: Will Volatility Collapse in 2009?

December 18, 2008

• CalPERS' Losses Add to Pacific Grove, California's Stress
• More California Towns Face Bankruptcy
• Grand Forks, North Dakota Stepped Out of Pension Train's Path in 1995 (editorial - Grand Forks Herald)
• New York Police Union Criticizes Effort to Reduce a Pension Benefit
• New Pension Tier for the New York City Police: Fight Is on (newsblog)
• Public Sector Imitates Private on Buyouts to Rein in Payroll Expenses
• Nix on Early Retirement Incentives and Buyouts (column by Girard Miller)
• Big Labor Is a Big Problem for Automakers' Survival (commentary)
• Motorola Puts Defined-Benefit Plans, 401(k) Match on Hold
• PENSION PULSE: Will Alt-A Resets Slam Alternatives?

December 17, 2008

• CalPERS to Report Losses of 103% on Its Residential Investments (financial blog)
• Orange County, California Supervisor Wants State to Tie Raises to Pension Plan Health (newsblog)
• Redding, California Council Votes to Lay Off 14 Workers
• New York Governor Moves to Reduce Pension Benefits for New Hires
• New York City's Mayor Looks to Save Money With New Pension Tier
• Pension Funding for Dummies in New Jersey (blog)
• Springfield, Missouri Council Supports Plan to Save Troubled Police/Fire Pension
• Oklahoma State Workers Seek Better Pay Amid Recession
• Cambridge, Massachusetts' Pensions Relatively Robust
• Three Decades After Cleveland Defaulted on Its Debts, Cities Face Recession Budget Woes
• Private Sector Employees Cut Back on Health Costs -- For Better or Worse
• As Economic Crisis Hits, Israel Moves to Shore Up Pension Funds
• PENSION PULSE: Madoff Mayhem the Tip of the Iceberg?

December 16, 2008

• Sutter County, California Must Address Rising Pension Debt Problem (op-ed)
• Other Groups Join Vallejo, California City Unions' Bid to Keep Contracts
• Nevada's Retirement System Has Lost Over $4 Billion on Its Investments Since July
• Nevada Lawmakers Take Aim at State Employee Retirement Benefits
• New Hampshire's Public Employee Pension Fund Plunged 27% This Fall
• Public Pension Funds in Massachusetts and Connecticut See $52 Million Hit From Madoff
• Vote Delayed on New Jersey Pension Fund Plan That Would Defer Contributions
• The Disability Pension Board That Couldn't Say No
• It's Time to Spread the Burden (op-ed)
• PENSION PULSE: Time for Inquiries Into Public Sector Pensions?

December 15, 2008

• Some of Stanislaus County, California's Retirement Benefits Have to Go (editorial - Modesto Bee)
• Los Angeles' Mayor Is Negotiating a Voluntary Retirement Plan With City's Employee Unions
• Three Oaks, Michigan Goes Broke as Resort Town's Finances Implode
• Toledo, Ohio's Mayor Asks Public Employee Unions for Pension Contribution Rollback
• Pension Cuts or Layoffs for Toledo? (blog)
• Market Plunge Causing Pension Pain for Pennsylvania's Local Taxpayers
• Swooning Stocks Put Pennsylvania's State and Local Taxpayers on the Hook for Pensions
• West Virginia Legislators' Pension Plans on Par; Governor Fares Well
• Reno, Nevada's Municipal Salaries Ruled Public Record
• Agency That Protects Pension Plans (PBGC) Could Need Billions in Taxpayer Dollars to Bail It Out, Too
• Pension Costs Could Shave Corporate Results Next Week
• Credit Crunch Has Cost Pension Funds in Rich Countries $5 Trillion, Says Think Tank
• PENSION RISK MATTERS: What People Have to Say About OTC Derivatives

December 13, 2008

• As New York City Goes Broke, One Cost Is Untouchable: Public Employee Pensions
• Companies Will Be Back in January Demanding Even More Pension Funding Relief From Congress
• How to Fix 401(k)s (feature - Wall Street Journal)
• Problems With 401(k)s (audio - mp3)
• PBGC Seeks to End Lehman's Pension Plan to Protect Benefits of 26,500 Employees
• Some GM Retirees Are in a Health Care Squeeze
• PENSION PULSE: The Cost of Arrogance

December 12, 2008

• Shrink Orange County Government (editorial - Orange County Register)
• City of San Diego Gets $154 Million Pension Bill; Pension Fund Deficit Could Be as High as $2.7 Billion (newsblog)
• Redding, California Proposes Cuts to Programs, Police and Fire Fighters
• Retirees Rehired in New University of California Pay Scandal (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Massachusetts Inquiries Breeding Public Distrust of Government Officials
• Senate Panel Narrowly OKs New Jersey Pension Contribution Deferral Proposal
• New Jersey's Pension-Payment-Skipping Bill Advances, But Its Fate Is Uncertain
• New Jersey Deeper in Pension Debt (editorial - New York Times)
• Bill Would Plunder New Jersey's Pension Fund Again (blog)
• Report Calls for Changes in New Jersey's Pension Investments (press release)
• Flood of Retirements Strains Rhode Island's State Pension Fund
• Corporate Pensions Get a Reprieve in Congress
• Congress Approves Measure to Ease Pension Funding, IRA Rules
• PENSION PULSE: Deals Blowing Up Everywhere

December 11, 2008

• Have Job Cuts Pushed California's Public Employee Unions Into Retreat? (column)
• Orange County, California Will Cut 210 Workers, Force 4000 to Take Unpaid Furloughs
• Massive Layoffs Proposed at Orange County Social Services Agency
• Minnesota's 22% Pension Decline Due to Economy, Not Rash Moves, Board Told
• Bigger Payments Into Public Employee Pension Plans Strain Massachusetts' City, Town Finances
• Newport News, Virginia's Retirees Upset by Possible Changes to Life-Time Health Benefits
• North Carolina's Dole, Hayes to Exit Public Office With Pensions a Colleague Calls a 'Taxpayer Ripoff'
• Goldman Recommends Credit Default Swaps Against Nj, Ca, Wi, Fl, Oh, Mi, Others
• Loosen Corporate Pension-Funding Rules, Consultants Ask Congress
• Survey Shows Consumerism Uptick in Health Benefits Choices
• PENSION PULSE: A Common Denominator of Failure?

December 10, 2008

• California's Budget Deficit Could Be as High as $40 Billion (column)
• Having Orange County Employees Take Unpaid Time Off Dodges the Problem of Oversized Government (editorial - Register)
• Orange County, California CEO Proposes 3% Across-The-Board Pay Cut (newsblog)
• Pension Plan Drives Out San Diego County's Assessor (column)
• Vallejo, California and Its Employee Unions Still Battling Over Chapter 9 Eligibility
• Cuts in Workers' Costs, Health Benefits Are Key to New York's Local Governments Remaining Solvent
• Tough Times and a $14 Billion Loss May Force Changes in Minnesota Pension Funds
• Florida's Public Employee Pension Fund Loses $46 Billion
• Florida Pension Fund Will Be 'Staying the Course' Despite a 30% Loss
• Economy Has Cost City of Grand Forks, North Dakota's Pension Fund About $4.7 Million
• Mehlville, Illinois Fire District to Consider Putting Pension Tax Rate Decrease Measure on Ballot
• Binding Resolution Sought on Use of Springfield, Missouri Pension Bailout Sales Tax Funds
• Has Politics Made New Jersey's Governor Stupid? (blog)
• Trouble in Pensionland (blog)
• Social Security Releases Strategic Plan for the Future
• PENSION PULSE: Can LDI Strategies Contain Pension Deficits?

December 9, 2008

• New San Diego City Council Member Refuses Pension and Perks (column)
• As California's Governor Threatens Layoffs, Legislators Get New Cars (with video)
• California's Official Budget Deficit Figure Is Way Too Low (column)
• New Jersey Pension System Reforms Go Bye-Bye (column)
• Little Sympathy for Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Woes (letters)
• Connecticut Governor Plans Talks With State's Employee Unions About Budget Deficit
• UAW Workers Actually Do Cost the Big 3 Automakers $70 an Hour; Pension and OPEB Costs Are in Addition
• PENSION PULSE: Organized Crime Infiltrating Pension Funds?

December 8, 2008

• CalPERS Has Lost 31.1% of Its Value Since Peaking Last Fall -- A Staggering $81.4 Billion Drop
• CalPERS and the Coming Attack on Public Workers (blog)
• California's Governor Warns of State Worker Layoffs
• Orange County, California Employees' Union Suggests Unpaid Time Off to Help Avoid Layoffs
• Orange County Union Proposes Christmas Week Off Without Pay to Save Jobs
• Idaho's State Employee Pay and Benefits Are Up in the Air
• Obama Should Use Federal Funds to Save State and Local Public Employee Jobs (column)
• Older Workers and the Recession
• Corporations Beg Congress to Suspend Billions in Pension Fund Contributions

December 7, 2008

• Redding, California's Public Employee Unions Need to Recognize the Harsh New Economic Reality (editorial - Record Searchlight)
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Pension Fund Has Lost $124 Million This Year; Now Only 29% Funded
• Taxpayers on the Hook as Iowa's Public Employee Pension Fund Loses $4 Billion
• TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT: Pension Funds, Endowments Face Losses on Alternative Investments on Top of Stock Declines
• Pension Contribution Deferrals: Cure-All or End-All for New Jersey Local Governments?
• Maryland's Government Workers Must Share the Pain (column)
• Pension Gorilla Facing Down Jacksonville, Florida's Budget (column)
• New Pension Rules Are a Hidden Threat to Businesses That Are Already Down
• White House Says No to Pension Funding Relief for Corporations
• Tough Times Imperil Employee Benefits in Private Sector
• PENSION PULSE: Caisse Sera Sera

December 5, 2008

• Orange County, California Raised Pay, Pensions During the Good Years (editorial - Orange County Register)
• New University of California President Changes Buyout Policy Regarding Double-Dipping
• University of California Goes Where We Wish More Dared Venture on Double-Dipping (blog)
• TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT: Future Generations Face Large Bill for Public Employee Pension Funding, Says Report (free sub req'd)
• Corporate Pension Funds Take Another Pounding
• Pittsburgh's Pension Fund Liability Is Likely Much Higher Than $899 Million Projection (blog)
• Cincinnati, Ohio Okays Minimum Contribution to Pension Fund of 17% of Payroll
• PENSION PULSE: Should Pension Funds Prorogue Their Results?

December 4, 2008

• Redding, California City Council Votes to Drop Its Health Care Perk But Keep Its Pension
• Bill Introduced to Freeze Pay of California Employees Making More Than $150,000/year
• To Break Budget Impasse, Let Californians Vote on Parties' Plans (op-ed)
• Wyoming's Public Employee Pension Fund Down 25%
• Losses at Wisconsin's State Pension Fund Deepen in November
• PENSION PULSE: Harvard's Horror Will Decimate Pension Funds

December 3, 2008

• California's Political Class Looks Out for No. 1 -- Themselves (op-ed)
• More Details About Possible Layoffs of California State Workers (newsblog)
• TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT: Public Policing Is Seeing Structural Challenges (blog - PolicePay.net)
• Louisiana's Pension Plans Are Stable; Bigger Issue Is an $11.4 Billion Unfunded Liabiity
• Kansas Public Employee Pension Fund Lost 26.8% in 2008
• Reform of Double-Dipping Should Target Most Egregious Cases (editorial - Tallahassee Democrat)
• Early Retirement Incentive a Possibility for New York's State Employees
• Report Looks at States' Retiree Health Care Plans and Cost Containment Efforts
• Autoworkers Worry That More Wage and Benefit Givebacks Are in Store
• S&P 1500's Pension Funding Status Dropped $130 Billion in November
• Former US Treasury Undersecretary Proposes 100-Year Treasury Bonds (blog)

December 2, 2008

• California's Governer Says State Now 'Almost Forced' Into Layoffs (newsblog)
• 'We Don't Exist to Fund Employee Pensions,' Says San Diego's Mayor (blog - PensionWatch)
• Redding, California Council Majority Favors Forgoing City Paid Retirement Benefits
• Mendocino County, California's Financial Rating Lowered on Pension Obligation Bonds
• Pennsylvania Pension Fund Faces Billions in Losses After Exotic 'Alpha' Bets Turn Sour
• Arguments Over $246 Million Pension Fund Liability Could Mean Layoffs for Lexington, Kentucky (with video)
• State Treasurer's Plan to Merge Pension Boards a Winner for Illinois Retirees (column)
• Oregon Public Employees Take a Hit -- But Not Like in 2003 (newsblog)
• PENSION PULSE: The Specter of Deflation

December 1, 2008

• If California Were a Private Company, Bankruptcy Might Be an Option (editorial - Orange County Register)
• UAW's Gold-Plated Pay, Pensions and Benefits Are Not Part of the Real World (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Democrats May Tax Health Benefits
• Houston, Texas Has $5 Billion Unfunded Liability for Pensions and Healthcare (with video)
• New York Taxpayers Can't Continue to Shoulder Burden of Generous Pensions (editorial - Observer-Dispatch)
• Pension Reform (editorial - Cape Cod Times)
• LBO Boom Over: Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan Off the Hook (blog)
• PENSION PULSE: OECD Will Release New Pension Guidelines

November 30, 2008

• Not a Good Time for California Pension Bonuses (editorial - Modesto Bee)
• California Cities of Vacaville, Dixon Not Yet Near Bankruptcy, Say Officials
• TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT: The State of New Jersey Is Insolvent (blog)
• Pension Follies in New Jersey: No Real Answer in Funding Holiday (editorial - Daily Record)
• New Jersey Governor's Pension Cant (blog)
• Monmouth County, New Jersey Employees Should Count Their Blessings (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• Colorado Public Pension Fund Looks at Options for Climbing Out of $12 Billion Hole
• Des Moines, Iowa Union Leaders Offer to Renegotiate Salaries and Benefits to Save City Jobs
• US Companies Could Face Combined Pension Deficit of $200 Billion
• Latest Chrysler Buyout Offer Lures Quarter of Salaried Staff
• PENSION RISK MATTERS: Cracks in the Pension Safety Net System?

November 29, 2008

• California Cities of Rio Vista and Isleton Weigh Bankruptcy as Deficits Grow
• TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT: In An Epic Fiscal Storm, New Strategies Sprout for City Governments (column)
• R.I.P. New Jersey State Pension -- Part 1: Autopsy (blog)
• R.I.P. New Jersey State Pension -- Part 2: CSI (blog)
• R.I.P. New Jersey State Pension -- Part 3: Funeral (blog)
• Long Island Rail Road Pension System: A Runaway Train? (with news video)
• Merger of Connecticut State Agencies Proposed to Deal With $6 Billion Budget Shortfall; Unions Object
• No Saving Connecticut Without Taming Public Employee Unions (editorial - Journal Inquirer)
• Health Care Premiums Are Rising for California's Private Sector Employees
• Detroit Needs a Selloff, Not a Bailout (op-ed)
• Public Sector Wage Increases Are Unrealistic (editorial - Windsor Star)
• Uk's Public Sector Pensions Are 'Unaffordable' and Need to Be Reformed, Say Conservatives
• PENSION PULSE: Pension Meltdown Will Only Get Worse

November 28, 2008

• Is Vallejo, California's Fiscal Freefall the Beginning of a Trend?
• Declining Property Tax Revenue Might Be the Next Financial Domino in California (column)
• TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT: US Government Has Pledged More Than $7.7 Trillion of Taxpayers' Money to Ease Frozen Credit
• Rethinking the Role of Unions (letter)
• Market Burns While School Districts Keep Fiddling With Swaps (column)
• New Jersey Governor Explains His Plan to Defer Pension Fund Payments in a Youtube Video
• VIDEO: New Jersey Governor Explains Pension Payment Deferral Proposal on YouTube
• Pennsylvania's Teacher, Government Pension Funds Lost $12 Billion From July Through September
• Pension Crisis on the Way for Pennsylvania Taxpayers (blog)
• Funds' Losses Could Push Pennsylvania's Lawmakers to Reform Pension System
• Washington State's Pension Funds Have No Plans to Alter Strategy Despite 20% Loss
• PBGC Sounds Alarm on Big Three Automakers' Pensions
• Free-Market Economy Must Not Be Abandoned (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• It's Folly to Give Up on the 401k (op-ed)
• A Mess in the Municipal Bond Market
• Credit Market Freeze May Claim Local Governments as Victims
• Economic Meltdown Far From Over as New Commercial Mortgage Crisis Looms
• Israel Presents Its Own Bizarre Economic Stimulus Plan, Including an Absurd Pension Guarantee
• PENSION PULSE: Bill Tufts, Pensions and Political Turkey

November 27, 2008

• The Real Story of Thanksgiving

November 26, 2008

• Napa, California Napa Mulls Cuts, Use of Reserves, as Revenue Dips
• Kentucky Pension Fund Has $32.8 Billion Deficit -- as of June 30 (blog)
• El Paso County, Colorado's Pension Plan Needs $4.7 Million to Stay Operational
• Macon, Georgia's Pension Board Unfavorable to Proposal to Let Mayor, Council Buy Into Plan
• Why Isn't Anyone Talking Later Retirement for Government Workers? (blog)
• Public Defined Benefit Pension Plans May Have a Leg Up in Financial Crisis, Says Report
• Pension Obligation Bonds Could Ease Public Pension Fund Losses, Says Moody's
• PENSION PULSE: Will Central Banks Backstop Pension Funds?

November 25, 2008

• Is Orange County's Measure J the Proposition 13 of Pension Reform? (newsblog)
• Orange County Imposes Hiring Freeze, Plans to Cut $60 Million From Budget
• Perhaps State Bankruptcy Is California's Best Solution (letter)
• GM's Gigantic Pension Fund Stays Afloat for Now, Against the Odds
• Illinois' Public Employee Pensions May Be Underfunded by $50 Billion (audio)
• New Jersey Lawmakers Get Answers in Hearing After Pension Fund Sinks
• Massachusetts' Public Employees Are Working Over the Taxpayers (column)
• Change in Springfield, Missouri's Police/Fire Pension System Needed (op-ed)
• Kentucky Taxpayers Awaiting Update on Pension State Systems' Losses (blog)
• Michigan Lawmakers' Generous Health-Benefits Issue Faces Lame-Duck Death
• North Andover, Massachusetts' Teachers Unwilling to Sacrifice (editorial - Eagle Tribune)
• PENSION PULSE: Unlike Citi, Pension Funds Fell Asleep!

November 24, 2008

• How CalPERS Holds California's Taxpayers in Contempt (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• University of California to Review Nearly 2,000 Double-Dipping Pensioners
• Paying Your Town's Pension Fund in Massachusetts (video)
• Cincinnati, Ohio's Pension Fund Down $1 Billion
• Health-Care, Pension Costs Weigh Heavily on Philadelphia
• New Jersey's Public Employee Pension System May Not Be Savable (editorial - Star-Ledger)
• Pennsylvania's Retired Public Employees Shielded From State Pension Fund's Losses
• For Detroit, Chapter 11 Would Be the Final Chapter (op-ed)
• No, Detroit, It's YOU Who Doesn't Understand (column)
• Senators Make Last-Minute Push on Bill to Ease Corporate Pension Funding Requirements

November 23, 2008

• City Bankruptcies May Signal Trouble for California
• TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT: For State and Local Government Employees, The Gravy Train Rides On
• It's Time for California to Cut Salaries and Employees to Something We Can Afford (letter)
• Hoboken, New Jersey Residents Call for Big Cuts in Employee Payroll and Benefits
• The Pension Crunch, and What to Do (editorial - Rocky Mountain News)
• Washington's State Workers on Edge Over Looming Job Cuts
• West Virginia's Taxpayers Are Bearing Burden of Largest Cities' $450 Million Pension Shortfall
• Springfield, Missouri's City Manager Provides Facts on Sales Tax Increase to Fund Pensions (op-ed)
• PENSION PULSE: Is Ontario Teachers Heading for a Fall?

November 22, 2008

• Revisiting Public Employees' Pay: Nevada's Local Governments Are Asking Unions to Give Them Unprecedented Breaks
• San Diego Pension Fund Chief Retires as Deficit Hits $2.78 Billion
• Budget Cuts Loom for Lincoln, California; Layoffs a Last Resort
• CalSTRS: Interview With CIO Christopher Ailman
• CalPERS: Interview With the Head of Global Equities, Eric Baggesen
• Be Kind to Portland's Firefighters, and Taxpayers (editorial - the Oregonian)
• Luzerne County, Pennsylvania's Employee Pension Fund Shortfall Is $119 Million and Growing
• Sliding Stock Market Takes $18 Million Toll on Beaver County, Pennsylvania's Pension Fund in October
• New Pact Cuts Allentown, Pennsylvania's Police Pension Benefits
• Letter From Cook County, Illinois Penson Board Scares Retirees
• Government Hands Out (blog)
• Michigan's Lawmakers Show No Sign of Giving Up Generous Health Benefits
• New Jersey Governor Calls for Sacrifices by State's Employees
• Cuts Now Necessary for Colorado's Public Employee Retirement Fund to Deal With $12 Billion Plunge
• Indiana's Public Pension Funds Lost $5 Billion in the 12 Months Ending Sep. 30
• Maine's Public Employee Pension Fund Has Lost $3 Billion Since July
• The Auto Makers Are Already Bankrupt (op-ed)
• Taxpayers Should Not Bail Out the UAW and Its High Wages and Benefits (column)
• Underfunded Pensions May Bite US Energy Sector
• Save Your 401(k) Before the Feds Replace It With the GRA (op-ed)
• PENSION PULSE: Quebec Inc. in Dire Straits

November 21, 2008

• CalPERS Gets Big New Burden As Pension Boost Is Applied Retroactively (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• More California Cities Hurtling Toward Bankruptcy?
• Redding, California Should Stick to Its Plan to Phase Out Retirees' Health Care Coverage (editorial - Record Searchlight)
• CalPERS Responds to Forbes Article (newsblog)
• AFSCME's President Says 'Most Public Pension Plans Are in Good Financial Condition' (letter)
• New Jersey Pension Fund Down 20% in Four Months; Legislator Calls for Probe
• New Jersey's Governor Proposes Letting Towns Defer Half of '09 Payment Into Public Employee Pension System
• New York's Governor Must Put Onus on Labor Unions for Budget Cuts (editorial - Daily News)
• Big Three Need to Restructure, Renegotiate Obligations (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Argentina's Senate Votes to Seize $25 Billion in Private Pension Funds
• PENSION PULSE: The New Road to Serfdom?

November 20, 2008

• Orange County's Measure J Could Pave the Way for Sound Pension Finances (column - Girard Miller)
• TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT: Beggars Banquet (blog - New York Times)
• San Diego Doesn't Want to Discuss Trimming Excessive Public Employee Salaries and Benefits
• Pension System 'is Sucking All the Resources Out of Our City,' Says San Diego's City Attorney
• California's State Workers Urge Elected Officials to Pare Their Own Pay (column)
• Isleton, California Needs $1 Million to Avert Bankruptcy, City Manager Says
• Unions in Redding, California Are Unsure of Their Stance on Proposal to Have Employees Pay Into Pensions
• San Luis Obispo County, California Faces Higher Pension Costs, Layoffs and Reduced Services
• Solano County Must Set Priorities to Weather Financial Storm (editorial - Vacaville Reporter)
• Is a Big Pension Fund Like CalPERS One of the Next Economic Shoes to Drop?
• Will Public Employers Be Able to Afford Their Past Promises for Retiree Health Care? (column - Girard Miller)
• Increasing Share of Minneapolis Taxpayers' Dollars Going to Public Employee Pension Funds
• Town Meeting Ends Insurance Perk for Selectmen in Brookline, Massachusetts
• West Virginia Teachers Vent Outrage Over Proposed 9% Health Premium Increase
• New Jersey Bill Shifts Legal Costs to Corrupt Public Employees' Pensions
• Georgia Board Rejects Proposed Change to Teacher Pension Fund's COLA Policy
• Massachusetts Pension Fund Lost 13.3% in October
• Recent Retirees Cost Rhode Island Millions
• Let Detroit Automakers Go Bankrupt (op-Ed)
• Underfunded Pension Liability: Lenders and Buyers Beware (blog)
• Hurt by Losses, Corporate Pension Funds Criticize Rules and Seek Legislative Relief From Congress
• Congress May Act to Ease Corporate Pension Rules Temporarily
• GM Canada Faces Pension Crisis With $3.64 Billion Shortfall
• PENSION PULSE: Leverage Rocket Switches to Reverse Thrust

November 19, 2008

• Claremont, California Considers Second Pension Tier to Deal With $6.7 Million Fund Shortfall
• Redding, California May Ask Employees to Pay Into Their Pensions to Avoid Layoffs
• Mission Viejo, California's City Council Votes Itself Lifetime Health Benefits (blog)
• Vallejo, California's Neighbors Fairfield and Rio Vista Look at Bankruptcy, Too
• San Diego's Mayor Says No Bankruptcy for City -- Yet (newsblog)
• Trying to DROP San Diego's Budget Deficit
• Average Pay Level Among California Capitol's Legislative Employees Is $61,000 a Year
• How a Gap in Philadelphia's Budget Became a $1 Billion Canyon
• Springfield, Missouri Police Officers Group Backs Tax to Rescue Their Pensions (with Video)
• Former Powerful New York Legislator Convicted of Pension Fraud
• Colorado Legislature Needs to Address State's Pension Shortfall (editorial - Rocky Mountain News)
• New Mexico Pension Plan Proposes Longer Work Requirement
• PBGC, GM Leaders Negotiate Over Pension Data
• PENSION PULSE: R.I.P. Good Times?

November 18, 2008

• How California Can Save $5 Billion Without a Furlough (blog)
• Bankruptcy Talks Begin in San Diego (newsblog)
• CalPERS and the Financial Domino Effect (newsblog)
• Vacaville, California's City Workers to Pay Portion of Health Care
• Former Pension Fund Manager Arrested and Charged in Long Island Rail Road Disability Probe
• Our Spendthrift States Don't Need a Federal Bailout (op-ed)
• US State Ratings Unhurt for Now by Stocks' Hit to Pension Funds, Says Moody's
• Why Bankruptcy Is the Best Option for GM (op-ed)
• GM's Current Woes Are Rooted in High Labor Costs Including Health Care and Pension Benefits, Says Dealership Owner
• PBGC Request to GM for Pension Information Goes Unanswered
• 100 Largest Corporate Pensions Lost $120 Billion in October
• PBGC Has Whittled Its Deficit Down to $10.7 Billion
• PENSION PULSE: The Bull That Killed Pension Funds

November 17, 2008

• San Diego's Pension Problems Not Going Away Soon
• Florida's Pension Fund Plummets by $62 Billion -- A Third of Its Value -- In 13 Months
• Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's Pension Fund Value Drops 31%
• More US Cities Cut Services While Hoping to Hop on Federal Bailout Gravy Train
• Seeking Financial Aid From Congress, Automakers Have a Friend in the UAW
• Small Firms Shiver as Health Insurance Premiums Rise
• In UK, Private Sector Retirees Face Reduced Pension Benefits While Public Employees Are Sitting Pretty
• PENSION PULSE: Some Gurus Got It Right!

November 16, 2008

• Carlsbad, California's Mayor Proposes Overhauling City's Pension System
• San Jose, California's Mayor Seeks Slice of Bailout Pie to Help With Pension, Health Liabilities
• New Jersey's Governor Corzine Should Run . . . for the Hills (blog)
• Texas' Teacher Pension Fund Has Lost $25 Billion Since Sep. 1
• Texas Teachers' Benefits Won't Be Cut, But Lawmakers Told Not to Issue Unfunded '13th Check'
• Should Portland, Oregon Join Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Phoenix in Begging for a Pension Bailout? (blog)
• Chester County, Pennsylvania's Increased Pension Costs Force Pay Freezes and a Tax Hike
• Calls Grow to Overhaul 401(k) Retirement Plans
• Further Union Givebacks Likely in Any GM Bailout, But Workers Say 'Enough'
• GM Retirees Fear for Pensions and Health Benefits
• Poverty, Pension Fears Drive Japan's Elderly Citizens to Crime
• $4 Trillion Lost Worldwide by Pension Funds, Says OECD

November 15, 2008

• Public Employee Unions Have Helped Contribute to California's Sundown
• The Government Panic in San Diego (blog)
• Whether Wall Street or CalPERS in Sacramento, the Hubris Is the Same
• CalPERS Bought Shares in 112 Reits Just Prior to Market Collapse
• Redding, California's Two Top City Officials Will Defer Their Own Raises and COLAs
• Mayors of Atlanta, Philadelphia and Phoenix Seek Share of Bailout Money for Their Public Employee Pension Deficits
• Government Jobs: Is Now the Right Time?
• Pension Plan Metrics - What's Wrong With This Picture? (blog)
• GM Canada's Pension Plan Was Troubled Before the Market Collapse
• PENSION PULSE: Will the G-20 Come Up With a New Game Plan?

November 14, 2008

• California Can't Afford to Keep Giving State Workers So Much Time Off (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Governor Is Right to Cut Costs of California's 232,000 State Employees (letter)
• Public Employee Pension Deficit Saps San Diego's Budget; Service Cuts May Extend for Years
• Staggering Pension Costs Threaten San Diego's Recovery (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• E-Mail Reveals San Diego's Pension Loss Greater Than Previously Reported
• San Diego City Attorney Wins One, Loses One in Pension Lawsuits
• Vallejo, California's Court Hearing on Voiding Public Employee Union Contracts Pushed Back (blog)
• Illinois' Backlog of Unpaid Bills Nears $4 Billion
• Baltimore, Maryland's Pension Funds Lose $600 Million in Value in First Quarter
• Portland, Oregon's Public Employee Pension Liability May Jump $400 Million Overnight (blog)
• West Virginia Teachers Are Offended by Proposal to Increase Health Care Premiums 9-11%
• West Virginia Teachers Protest Proposed Health Insurance Premium Increases (video)
• Alton, Illinois May Sell $60 Million in Bonds to Cover Police, Fire Pension Deficits
• Lexington, Kentucky's Mayor Warns of Police and Fire Layoffs Due to Increased Pension Contributions
• Increased Contributions to Lexington's Pension Plan Could Mean Cutbacks in City Services (video)
• New Pension Protection Act Rule Could Change Pension Payouts for Some New Retirees
• Market Turmoil Causes Pension Pain for Employers and Workers; Watson Wyatt Urges Congressional Action (press release)
• Finance Crisis Prompts Pension Reform Rethink in Europe
• PENSION PULSE: Will Hedge Hogs Bail Out Global Pensions?

November 13, 2008

• California Voters Take Aim at Public Employees' Pensions and Pay
• City of San Diego's Pension Fund Shortfall Has Grown to $2.7 Billion, Analysis Says
• Thoughts on San Diego's Pension Deficit
• CalPERS' Housing Portfolio Drops $3.2 Billion (Sacramento Bee)
• CalPERS' Housing Portfolio Loses 35% in a Year (Los Angeles Times)
• CalPERS Housing Investments Lose 35 Percent (blog)
• CalPERS Confronts Huge Housing Losses (Wall Street Journal)
• General Motors Says Its Pensions Plans Are Currently Solvent
• National Business Coalition Seeks Pension Funding Reprieve
• PENSION PULSE: Canada Pension Plan Fund Gets Nuked in Q2

November 12, 2008

• California's Budget Deficit Projection Increased to $28 Billion Over Next 20 Months
• California's Budget Deficit Is Worse Than the Governor Thinks (editorial - Orange County Register)
• City of San Diego's Pension Fund Is Only 58% Funded, Council Will Learn Today
• San Diego City Attorney's Pension Lawsuit Victory May Come, Though Too Late to Help His Re-Election Campaign (newsblog)
• Retirement Board Controversy Flares Anew in San Jose, California
• University of California Employees to Resume Contributing to Pension Plan After 18-Year Hiatus
• US Postal Service to Cut 40,000 Jobs in First Layoff in History, Offers Early Retirements
• New York's Public Employee Unions Refuse to Reopen Contracts Despite State's Fiscal Crisis
• New York's Private Sector Bleeds While the Public Sector Feeds (editorial - New York Post)
• New York's Public Employee Unions Should Renegotiate Contracts (editorial - Journal News)
• Will $400 Million in Pension Obligation Bonds Solve Anything for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin? (blog)
• Judge Orders Huntington, West Virginia to Continue Paying Expensive Health Benefits for Retired Firefighters and Police
• Michael Bloomberg on Pension Reform in New York: Not Necessarily a New Tier, but Something
• Kingston, New York May Cut Retirees' Gold-Plated Health Insurance Benefits
• Clark County, Nevada School District Should End Expensive Early Retirement Program (editorial - Las Vegas Sun)
• New Issue Paper Available: 'The Financial Crisis and State/local Defined Benefit Plans'
• Pension Tension Blues (video)
• PENSION PULSE: the End of the Great Pension Con Job?

November 11, 2008

• US Pension Lifeboat PBGC Is Facing Stormy Waters
• CalPERS Head Defends Public Employee Pensions
• Goldman Sachs Urged Bets Against California Bonds It Helped Sell
• Business Lobbies New Administration for a Pension Break
• Pension Protection Act of 2006 May Leave Many Retirees in Private Sector With Reduced or No Pension Checks (press release)
• Air Canada Warns of Pension Woes
• PENSION PULSE: Rogue Traders at Public Pension Funds?
• SPORTS: Jury Orders NFL Union to Pay $28.1 Million to Retirees

November 10, 2008

• California Home-Loan Agency Head Stepping Down Amid Controversy Over Pay Hike, Pension Spike
• Walking the Public Pension Plan Tightrope (blog)
• Proceeds From Privatization of Chicago's Midway Airport Will Shore Up City's Unfunded Pension Funds
• Dashed Dreams of Retirement
• Some GM Retirees Are in a Health Care Squeeze
• Names of Possible Candidates Floated for Top PBGC, SEC Posts
• With Taxpayers on the Hook for Losses, Professor Warns PBGC Must Change Tactics
• PENSION PULSE: Pension Funds: More Real Estate and Hedge Funds

November 9, 2008

• Spending, Not Revenue, Remains Key Problem for California (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Nearly Three-Quarters of San Diego's Budget Goes to Employee Salaries and Benefits (column)
• CalPERS' Long-Term Investment Strategy Helps Weather the Market, Says Its President (op-ed)
• Southern California Public Retirement Seminar Scheduled for January 28 in Burbank
• Generational Change Faces an Inter-Generational Fiscal Challenge (op-Ed)
• West Virginia's Public Employees Should Accept a Health Premium Increase (editorial - Wheeling News-Register)
• Massive Unfunded Liability for Employee Health Benefits an Issue for Brookline, Massachusetts
• Teachers' Unions Spent $6 Million to Defeat Anti-Tax Measure in Massachusetts
• Reject Medicare and Lose Social Security, Too (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• 'Waitress Moms' Now Need Real Help, Not Just More Promises (op-ed)

November 8, 2008

• Voters in Pacific Grove, California Approve Withdrawing From CalPERS
• SEC Allegations in San Diego Pension Case Panned by Federal Judge
• Burlingame, California Faces Revenue Loss and Cuts Along With a $44 Million Unfunded Retirement Health Liability
• Oceanside, California Settles 'Donning and Doffing' Case With Police
• Wisconsin's Pension Plan Woes Could Impact Cities' Services
• Market Crash May Be Dealing Private Sector Defined-Benefit Pensions a Final, Fatal Blow
• Despite Huge Profits, Big Oil Has Big Hole in Pension Funding
• Steel Firms Could Face New Pension Woes, Says Analyst
• General Motors Is Facing Bankruptcy Within Months
• Automakers May Seek Government Bailout
• PENSION PULSE: What's Good for GM's Pension Fund?

November 7, 2008

• States Try to Stem Losses in Public Employee Pension Funds
• How to Audit and Avoid Pension 'Spiking' (column)
• Nevada's State Workers Will Now Have to Pay Part of Their Health Insurance Premiums
• Kokomo, Indiana to Change Health Benefits; Public Employee Unions to Fight Move
• Raymond, New Hampshire's Employees to Begin Paying a Portion of Health Costs

November 6, 2008

• Victory of Pension Measure J an Election Highlight in Orange County, California (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Orange County Voters Demand Voice in Public Pensions (blog)
• Sonoma County, California Okays Higher Medical Premiums for Public Employees
• Which Will Bury California First -- Public Pension Debt or Bond Obligations? (blog)
• Assets Fall at Maine's Public Employee Pension Fund by $2.4-2.7 Billion
• North Carolina's State Employee Health Plan Is $264 Million in the Red
• US Pension Funds Put Brakes on Hedge Fund Bets
• Pension Funds Would Love to Help Stock Market, But Hands Are Tied
• PBGC Hikes Maximum Benefit
• Thousands March in Protest Against Argentina's Proposal to Nationalize Private Pension Funds
• PENSION PULSE: On Fixing Broken Pensions

November 5, 2008

• Voters in Orange County, California Overwhelmingly Support Ballot Measure to Block Pension Spikes
• Orange County Voters Vote in Force for Public Pension-Changing Measure J
• California's Public Pensions Are Connected to Public Sentiment (blog)
• Democratic Leaders in the US House Discuss Confiscating 401(k)s, IRAs
• The Democrats' War on 401(k)s (editorial - Investor's Business Daily)
• PENSION PULSE: Debacle Exposes Gross Incompetence (blog)

November 4, 2008

• Yes on Orange County's Measure J: If You Pay the Pension, You Should Get a Say (editorial - Register)
• Measure J Wants Orange County Voters' Approval for Pension Spikes (blog)
• Orange County's John Moorlach for Governor of California? (column)
• California's Local Governments Will Have to Tighten Retirement Benefits (editorial - Modesto Bee)
• Sonoma County's Board of Supervisors to Decide on Employees' Benefits Today
• We Really Can't Afford These Public Sector Pensions Any More (blog - WSJ)
• Iowa Public Employees' Pension Fund Stockpiles Cash
• GM-Chrysler Merger Would Create Pension Goliath
• UK Taxpayers Could Face Hefty Pension Bill for British Telecom
• PENSION PULSE: Straight Talk on the Pension Fiasco

November 3, 2008

• Big Public Employee Pension Bill Is Coming Due in California (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Taxpayers Will Have to Cover Shortfall in Kern County, California's Public Employee Pension Fund (with video)
• A Comparison of Retirement Benefits in Massachusetts: Government vs. Private Sector Employees
• Nevada Taxpayers Can't Afford State Workers' Generous Benefits (letters)
• Wisconsin Pension Fund to Reduce Payments to Retirees, Plus Taxpayers Will Have to Contribute More
• From Wisconsin Teachers' Pension Fund to New York Subway, Pain From Global Gamble
• Double or Nothing for New Jersey's State Pension Fund (blog)
• New York Taxpayers Pay for Some Public Employees to Do Union Work
• Governors Want to Get on Bailout Gravy Train, Call for Rescue Package for States
• Pension Funds Resisting Capital Calls By Private Equity Firms
• Darker Times Loom if Social Security Isn't Fixed (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• UK Public Employee Pensions Are Worth 15 Times Those of Workers in the Private Sector
• Nova Scotia's Public Pension Plan Must Be Changed, Says Finance Minister, As $912 Million Liability Grows
• Dubai Group to Host First World Pension Forum in the Middle East
• PENSION PULSE: Pension Funds Need a Reality Check

October 31, 2008

• Brace Yourselves, California State Workers, For More Calls for Pension Changes (newsblog)
• 'Damn the Economy! Full Taxation Ahead!' Say California Politicians (column)
• California Cities Cut Police Budgets
• Is a Public Pension Time-Bomb Set to Explode? (blog)
• Oregon's Public Employee Pension Fund Loses Nearly $13 Billion
• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin's Pension Debt Grows by 75% to $700 Million
• Feds Investigate Police Disability Pensions in Montgomery County, Maryland
• Springfield and Other Illinois Municipalities Face Rising Employee Pension Costs in 2010
• Unfunded Pension and Health Benefits Are Are 'Budget Busters' for Sudbury, Massachusetts
• Massachusetts' Public Employee Unions Fear Loss of Benefits if Question 1 Passes (op-ed)
• Corporate Pensions Now Underfunded by at Least $115 Billion
• Pension Funds Still Gambling on Stocks
• Shell Oil Changes to UK Pension Plan Include Increasing Retirement Age From 60 to 65
• PENSION PULSE: Closing the Gates of Hedge Hell

October 30, 2008

• Orange County, California's Public Employee Pension Fund Has Lost $1 Billion, Increasing Unfunded Liability to $3.7 Billion
• Will Rio Vista Be the Next California Town to Go Bankrupt?
• Possible $1 Billion Pension Fund Loss May Add to San Diego, California's Money Woes
• San Diego Did Not Report Pension Fund's $300 Million Stock Loss in Official Documents, Says City Attorney
• San Diego's Pension Problems: They're Back
• CalPERS No Stranger to Economic Fluctuation
• We All Could Feel CalPERS' Pain (op-ed)
• Colorado's Public Employee Pension Fund Has Lost $10 Billion, Increasing Unfunded Liability
• Massachusetts Ballot Initiative to Abolish State Income Tax Dubbed 'Boston Tea Party II' (editorial - Forbes)
• After $3.6 Billion Loss, Illinois Taxpayers May Have to Bail Out Municipal Employees' Pension Fund
• Evanston, Illinois' $145 Million Pension Shortfall Is Real, Says Report
• Pension Crisis Looming in Canada: Companies Brace for Shortfalls Exacerbated by Deflated Stock Prices
• PENSION PULSE: Sunny Days Ahead but Pension Storm Looming

October 29, 2008

• Double Whammy for Taxpayers: Bill for Los Angeles County Public Employee Pensions Seems Unfair (editorial - Daily News)
• Fresno County, California's Pension Fund Has Lost $865 Million
• Vallejo, California Takes Steps to Fill $3 Million Budget Gap
• Vallejo Employee Unions Plan to Appeal City's Bankruptcy Filing After Federal Court Gives Green Light
• Evanston, Illinois Panel Confirms $145 Million Unfunded Pension Liability
• Pension Fund Collapse Contributes to New Orleans' Budget Woes
• Massachusetts to Vote on Abolishing Income Tax
• New York State Pension Fund Down 20% Since April
• Pension Blues in New York, Too (blog)
• Obama, Unions, and Public Employee Pensions and Benefits (editorial - EcoWorld)
• More Companies May End 401(k) Match
• Argentina's Nationalization of Private Pension Funds: Even Juan Peron Called It 'Theft' (blog&video)
• Pension Pulse: Sayonara Carry Trade Turmoil?

October 28, 2008

• La Mesa, California Being Bled Dry by Public Employee Pensions and Benefits (blog)
• Do You Know Where Your Candidates Stand on Public Safety Pension Reform? (blog)
• San Diego's Budget Deficit Made Worse by Its Pension-Related Crisis
• Redding, California's City Council Has Made Tough Fiscal Choices, Says Mayor (op-Ed)
• Loss-Laden CalPERS Relies on Bear Market Lessons to Get Through Downturn
• Economic Downturn Clobbers Public Pension Funds Nationwide
• Taxpayers Will Be Paying the Pension Piper (blog)
• New York City Pension Fund Eyes Hedge Funds
• Breaking New Jersey's State Pension Fund With Bonds (blog)
• Illinois Taxpayers on the Hook for Widening Shortfall in Three Major Public Pension Funds
• Abingdon, Illinois Council Members Vote Themselves Pay Raises
• Brookline, Massachusetts Public Employee Unions Question Savings in Health Care Switch
• Obama's Pro-Union Positions Would Give Public Employee Unions Carte Blanche
• Good News for Senator Ted Stevens: He Can Keep His Congressional Pension of $10,000/month
• Washington Must Find Ways to Help Companies Keep Their Pension Promises (editorial - Baltimore Sun)
• PBGC Director Defends Losses
• Pension Pulse: Carry Trade Carnage

October 27, 2008

• Reeling From $700 Million Hit on Residential Property, CalPERS Looks to Cut Toxicity
• Audit Says Orange County Sheriff's Deputies' Overdid Overtime (editorial - Register)
• US Public Pension Funds Face Big Losses
• Evanston, Illinois Weighs Options in Solving Ongoing Budget Crisis, $140 Million Pension Shortfall
• Doctors Eased Path for Long Island Rail Road Disability Pension Claims
• New York Governor to Hold Hearing on Lirr Pension Abuse Today
• Loophole in New York Law Lets Lawyer Qualify for State Pension
• East Providence, Rhode Island Teacher Talks Stall Over Issue of Openness Versus Secrecy
• Market Woes Changing the Landscape for Pension Funds' Venture Investing
• GM Suspends Payments Into 401(k) Plans
• Let's Hope a President McCain Would Address That FICA Inequity
• Testimony of the Director of the PBGC Before the Committee on Education and Labor, US House of Representatives

October 26, 2008

• Marin County, California's Public Employee Pension Liability Debated: Is It $300 Million or $800 Million?
• Promise of Lifetime Health Benefits to Retirees Could Cost Racine, Wisconsin Substantially
• Bonds, Diversification Among Recommendations of Kentucky's Pension Reform Task Force
• Financial Chaos Undermines Security of 401(k) Plans
• PBGC Loses Nearly $5 Billion in Stock Investments
• Looking at the Reasons Behind the Bernanke-Paulson Recession
• Editorial Cartoon: The Baby Boomers Are Coming for Their Social Security
• Social Security's Catch-22 and the Lawsuit That Hopes to Correct It (op-ed)

October 25, 2008

• CalPERS Sells Stock Amid Rout to Raise Cash for Obligations (WSJ)
• San Diego's Pension System Has Lost $789 Million in Past Year, Says City Attorney
• Now, Can I Ever Afford to Retire? (column - Girard Miller)
• Nevada Commission Looks at Cutting State Employees' Health and Retirement Benefits
• House Democrats Contemplate Abolishing 401(k) Tax Breaks

October 24, 2008

• KABOOM! Pension Bombs Exploding Everywhere! (blog - Pension Pulse)
• California Taxpayers Aren't Laughing About Public Employee Pension Costs (column)
• Georgia's State Pension Funds Lose $11 Billion in Value
• New York Taxpayers' Contributions to Public Pensions Has Grown Tenfold in 8 Years (blog)
• Virginia's State and Local Workers Should Share in Their Pension Costs (editorial - Daily Press)
• Number of New Jersey State Workers Making $100,000/year Doubled in Two Years
• Newspaper's Readers Debate Value of New Jersey's State Work Force
• Duluth, Minnesota's Overpayment of Retiree Benefits Causes Problems
• US Pension Plans Hit by $3.9 Trillion Equity Fall
• Why Corporate Pensions Are Probably Safe
• Argentine Lawmakers to Limit Government's Use of Nationalized Pension Fund Assets

October 23, 2008

• Orange County's Pension Measure J Opponents Not Even Bothering to Campaign
• Taxpayers on the Hook for Los Angeles County's Public Employee Pension Fund Losses
• Report on the Financial Condition of the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (MSWord)
• Q&A About How the Market Affects Retirement Savings
• CalPERS' Portfolio Rocked by Market Volatility
• Taxpayers Eventually Could Pay as CalPERS Loses Billions
• A Taxpayers' Benefits Bill of Rights: OPEBs From the Citizens' Perspective (column - Girard Miller)
• California's Ballot Bond Propositions Are Taxes (editorial - EcoWorld)
• Vote No on California's Bankruptcy Bonds (column)
• New Statistics on State and Local Public Employees Released by US Census Bureau (newsblog)
• If California's State Employees Tighten Their Belts, Sacramento Region Feels Pinch
• Vallejo, California's Police and Fire Salaries Fall in Middle Range, Study Finds
• Hedge Funds' Steep Fall Sends Investors Fleeing; Pension Funds Re-Evaluate Risk
• Is Commercial Real Estate Ready to Tank? (blog - Pension Pulse)
• PBGC Has Lost $2.1 Billion on Market Investments This Year
• Financial Crisis Could Set Corporate Pension Deficit Record, Says S&P Report
• Chrysler Retirees Fret Over Pension, Health Benefits in GM Merger Scenario
• New Issues Brief by CRR: Are Retirement Savings Too Exposed to Market Risk?

October 22, 2008

• CalPERS Funded Status Could Drop to 68% Next Year Requiring Increased Employer Contributions, Report Says (blog)
• Read the CalPERS Report: 'Impact of Recent Investment Market Downturn on Employer Rates' (pdf)
• Orange County, California's Pension Fund Lands on Hot Seat
• Los Angeles County Might Have to Contribute a 'Nine-Figure' Dollar Amount to Cover Pension Fund Losses
• Changes to California's Public Employee Pensions Are Needed Now (column)
• Economic Crisis Could Spread Quietly in California Via Retail, Real Estate, Pension Funds and Venture Capital
• Market Slide Batters State Pension Funds
• West Virginia's Entire State Employee Retirement Package Needs Thorough Rethinking (editorial - Herald-Dispatch)
• New Jersey Faces Economic Nightmare in 2009, Experts Say
• North Dakota's Pension Funds Drop 15-19%
• New York City May Invest Pension Funds in Infrastructure Projects
• Clayton County, Georgia Retired Teachers Oppose Proposed Pension Plan Changes
• Baltimore, Maryland Targets Police and Fire Retirees' Pension Benefit to Cope With Budget Shortfall
• Argentina's Default May Loom as Seizure of Private Pension Funds Roils Market
• Argentina Tangos With Private Pensions (blog)

October 21, 2008

• Labor Unions Call for Delay on Board Appointment to Orange County Employee Retirement System (newsblog)
• Monterey County, California Police and Firefighters Earn Top Pay
• Overtime Adds Thousands to Some Employee Paychecks in Monterey County
• Retired California Teachers Return to Classroom to Augment Pensions
• New Jersey's Pension Funds Take $5 Billion Hit
• Alton, Illinois to Sell $60 Million in Bonds to Fund Police and Fire Pension Funds
• Estimating State and Local Government Pension and Retiree Health Care Liabilities (working paper)
• The Great Pension Heist (blog)
• Healthcare Shouldn't Be Linked to Employment (column)
• Argentina to Nationalize Private Pension Funds

October 20, 2008

• Market Slide Batters State Pension Funds; Taxpayer Dollars May Be Needed to Make Up Losses
• San Diego/City: Experts Eye Unusual Three-Year Gap Between Federal Pension Case Indictments
• Shasta County, California Wants to Cut Pension Contributions to CalPERS to Balance Budget
• Should CalPERS Compare Today's Financial Crisis to the S&L Crisis of the 1990s? (blog)
• What if Firefighters Ran the City Council? (editorial cartoon - Sacramento Bee)
• Bankrupt Vallejo, California May Be a Harbinger
• Could Your Town Go Bankrupt?
• An Apple for Missouri's Teachers, But Luxury for Their Pension Fund Executives
• VIDEO: Missouri's Teachers Fume as Executives Live It Up on Their Dime
• Asset Mix of the Nation's State Retirement Plans as of FY 2006
• States Face New Budget Shortfalls
• Massachusetts State and Local Pension Funds Lose More Than $13 Billion
• Poor Investments Have Cost Kentucky's Pension Systems $5 Billion, Says Study
• Pennsylvania's Public Employee Pensions Have Unfair Advantage With Taxpayer Protection (editorial - Pottstown Mercury)
• Mayor of Easton, Pennsylvania Wants Employees to Contribute to Health Benefits; Union Leaders Reluctant
• 2nd Medical Exam Advised for Long Island Rail Road Workers Requesting Disability Pensions
• Presidential Candidates Aren't Telling Voters the Real Story About Health Insurance
• Rising Pension Liabilities Threaten to Eat Into Profits of Chicago Area's Largest Firms
• In Private Sector, Middle-Class Americans' Retirement at Risk
• Massachusetts Baby Boomers Go Bust as Retirement Savings Tank
• Fewer Americans Working in Private Sector Getting Health Insurance Via Employers

October 17, 2008

• Clamp Down on California State Employees' Outrageous Unused Vacation Time Policy (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• Orange County, California Retirement Board Appointment Draws Fire From Public Employee Unions
• Orange County Supervisors' Chairman Moorlach Responds to Story on Appointment to Retirement Board (blog - PensionWatch)
• CalPERS Bungles Investments, Loses $70 Billion ... Where's the Outcry, Where's the Press? (blog)
• Legal Battle in Vallejo, California Is a Lost Cause for Public Safety Unions, Says Police Consultant (blog)
• Marin County, California's Pension Fund Down 26%
• Birmingham on the Brink (Of Bankruptcy)
• Virginia's Pension Fund Loses 20%
• Massachusetts to Slow Payoff of Pension Liabilities as Billion-Dollar Budget Bombshell Hits State
• Decision on Change to Ocean City, Maryland Pension Plans Postponed
• York, Pennsylvania to Postpone Required Payments to Its Pension Fund
• Editorial Cartoon: The Incredible Shrinking 401(k)

October 16, 2008

• San Diego/City: Conspiracy and Fraud Charges Added in Federal Pension Fund Case
• Risk Has Been Transferred Down the Food Chain and Is Now Infecting Our Pensions (column)
• Nevada Public Employee Pay, Pensions and Benefits Threaten State's Finances, Says Study
• Vallejo, California's Retired Public Employees to Be Represented in City's Bankruptcy Decisions
• California's State Engineeers Receive 7-10% Raises (blog)
• An Interview With California Assemblyman Who Advocates Iran Divestment
• West Virginia Judge Resigns, But May Be Re-Elected and Double Dip
• Elected Officials in West Virginia Can Legally Take Pension and Then Return to Office
• Medicare's Costly Doughnut Hole
• Another Multi-Billion-Dollar Bailout? Pbgc Could Be Next, Expert Says
• The Next Meltdown: Credit-Card Debt
• Banks Hoard Cash as Credit Card Defaults Rise
• Public Employees in UK Get Pensions Three Times as Generous as Private Sector Workers

October 15, 2008

• Orange County, California Voters Should Vote 'Yes' on Pension Measure J (editorial - OC Register)
• Platinum Pension Double-Dipping College Trustee in Orange County, California Is Back (column)
• Pension Fund Aftershocks From the Market-Quake (column - Girard Miller)
• CalSTRS Still Plays Defense as Market Soars
• Pension Fund Executives Hopeful Over Bailout
• New York School Pension Fraud Bill Is Signed by Governor
• Business Groups Question Health Benefits Cost Disclosure Bill in US Senate
• Fix Trillion-Dollar-A-Year Federal Health Costs Now! (column)

October 14, 2008

• CalPERS Lost Almost $67 Billion -- More Than 25% of Its Value -- In Past 12 Months
• The Article That Sparked This Website: 'Land a State Job in California and Become an Instant Millionaire' (blog)
• Pennsylvania's Public Employee Pension Issue Is a Ticking Time Bomb (editorial - Republican & Herald)
• DC Councilman Proposes Iran Divestment for Pension Fund
• IRS Puts Off Implementation of New Retirement Age Regulation Until 2011
• Union Concern About Pensions Does Not Excuse Certain Tactics Against a Constitional Convention in Illinois (op-ed)
• Marshfield, Massachusetts Public Works Official Claims Disability Pension Due to Snow, Seaweed ( Column)
• Off-Duty Police in Woburn, Massachusetts Jeer, Impede Civilian Flaggers
• Blue Line Blurs Between Cops and Street Thugs in Massachusetts (column)
• Unruly Protesting Cops Won't Stop Roadwork, Says Massachusetts Highway Commissioner
• New Study Addresses Pension Risk Management Gaps
• Disappearing Pensions in Private Sector Make Lives Less Secure
• Obama's Tax Plan Would Increase Social Security Deficit by Billions (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• US Cannot Honor Long-Term Social Security and Medicare Promises (op-ed)

October 13, 2008

• CalPERS Could Help Ease California's Credit Crisis (op-ed)
• California Prison Guards Earn 40% More Than Counterparts in Other States, Study Finds
• Now There's No Question: California's Prison Guards Are Well Paid (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• IRS Rule Change on 'Normal' Retirement Age Delayed Until 2011
• Alaska's Public Employee Pension Funds to Issue Up to $5 Billion in Bonds to Cut $8 Billion Deficit
• America's Next Major Financial Hurdle: Retired Government Employee Health Plan Deficits
• The Heat Is on for State Pension Funds in Palin's Alaska
• Pension Contributions for New York State's New Hires Must Be Reinstated (editorial - Daily News)
• Nevada's State Workers to Pay More for Insurance
• The Market Has Temporarily Killed Philadelphia's Pension Obligation Bond (editorial - Daily News)
• Dealing With Police Retirees' Health Insurance (editorial - Policepay.net)
• Time to Circle the Wagons to Protect Police Pensions and Benefits (column)
• Bust for Boomers About to Retire in Private Sector
• Comments on the Subprime Mortgage Crisis and the Credit Meltdown (blog - PensionWatch)
• Municipal Bond Investors Kept in Dark as Finances Unravel
• Time Works Against Presidential Candidates on Social Security, Medicare Fixes

October 10, 2008

• Tough Times Get Tougher for States' Public Employee Pension Funds
• Public Pension Fund Industry Urges Calm in Face of Economic Downturn
• Insurance Industry Joins Banking Giants on the Hot Seat
• Hang in There, Retirement Investors! (column - Girard Miller)

October 9, 2008

• Taxpayer Bailout of California's State and Local Public Employee Pension Funds Feared
• How the Market Meltdown, City Taxes, and Public Employee Pensions Affect Californians (column)
• California's Correctional Officer Pay, Benefits Best in the Nation, State (blog)
• California Highway Patrol Officers, Prison Medics Get Six-Figure Severance Checks for Unused Leave and Overtime
• Tulare County, California Public Employees Hold One-Day Strike to Get Even More Generous Health Coverage
• Massachusetts Pension Fund Pounded, Loses $8 Billion
• Time to Defuse Pennsylvania's Public Employee Pension Bomb (editorial - Times-Tribune)
• Evanston, Illinois Faces $3 Million Budget Gap Along With $140 Million Pension Deficit
• Revisit New York's 'Stunningly Large' Public Employee Pension Benefits (editorial - Buffalo News)
• New York Strips Four More Private Attorneys of Public Pensions
• Retirees May Be Abusing Private Disability Insurance, Too, Says Long Island Rail Road

October 8, 2008

• Abolish California's Public Employee Pensions (editorial - EcoWorld)
• As State Runs Out of Cash, Senator Asks if California Can 'Bail Out Ourselves' With Pension Fund Loan (column)
• California Senate Leader Says State May Face Another $15-18 Billion Deficit, Rejects Borrowing From CalPERS
• Loan Request a Harbinger of Coming Raid on CalPERS, CalSTRS (blog)
• Social Security Still Needs to Be Privatized (column)
• Merced, California City Council Backs Off Increasing Workers' Health Premiums After Outcry From Unions
• Atwater, California School District Must Pay Extra $333,000 Annually to CalSTRS
• It's Time for a 'Blunt Budget Ax' in Massachusetts (column)
• Montgomery County, Maryland's School System Cannot Afford to Pay Scheduled Pay Raises
• Most Pensions Are Safe, but Defined-Benefit Plans' Days Are Probably Numbered (column)
• New York City's Unions Warn of a Fight if Mayor Tries to Trim Pensions
• New York's Double-Dipper Pension Bill Goes to Governor for Signature
• Private Sector Boomers May Have to Continue Working; Public Employees Will Retire and Collect Juicy Benefits (blog)
• Americans' Retirement Accounts Have Lost $2 Trillion So Far, Says Head of Congressional Budget Office
• Read the Testimony of the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (pdf)
• US Senators Propose Bill Requiring Employers to Disclose Health Insurance Costs
• Retirees Flee Stocks to Save Shrinking Nest Eggs

October 7, 2008

• Cash-Strapped California Looks for Help to Its Pension Funds -- CalPERS and CalSTRS
• Fed May See Corporations and State and Local Governments as Next Crisis Fronts
• New York State Needs to Revisit High-Ticket Public Employee Pensions (editorial - Buffalo News)
• Why Social Security Is a Loser for Police and Firefighters (editorial - PolicePay.net)
• Teachers in Michigan Picket to Hang on to Gold-Plated Health Benefits (editorial - Detroit News)
• Colorado's Public Employee Retirement Plan Feeling Financial Pinch
• With Mail Volume Down, US Postal Service May Lay Off Workers
• Iceland Turns to Pension Funds for Help in Rescuing Its Banking System

October 6, 2008

• Escalating Public Employee Pension Costs in El Cajon and La Mesa Are Behind Proposed Sales Tax Increases (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• El Cajon and La Mesa, California Seek Sales Tax Increases to Deal With Deficits
• Could CalPERS Help California's Cash Crunch?
• UPDATE: Could CalPERS Help With California's Cash Crunch? Maybe.
• Share of California Cities' Budgets Going to Pensions and Benefits Has Doubled in Last 8 Years
• Non-Government Agency in San Gabriel Valley Participating in CalPERS
• Public Employee Pension Liability Is Constraining Massachusetts (op-ed)
• Evanston, Illinois' Pension Advisory Committee Preparing Final Report on $140 Million Fund Deficit
• Read the Report of the Evanston, Illinois Blue Ribbon Pension Committee (pdf)
• Stamford, Connecticut's Employee Pension Funds Take $56.7 Million Hit
• New Perk for Public Employees in Loudoun County, Virginia: $5000 Grants to Buy Foreclosed Homes
• St. Louis, Missouri Firefighters' Pension Fund Forecast to Lose $23 Million
• Market Decline Jeopardizes Private Sector Pensions; Defined-Benefit Plans on Way Out
• Retirees in Massachusetts Struggle to Make Ends Meet
• Italy's Prime Minister Says 'Basta!' to Do-Nothing Public Employees

October 3, 2008

• Short-Sellers Profit From States' and Cities' Financial Struggles; Pension Promises Re-Evaluated
• 'Extraordinary' Police and Firefighter Pensions Are Bankrupting Stratford, Connecticut
• Santa Rosa, California Looks at Cutbacks as 75% of Budget Goes to Employee Compensation
• Los Angeles Pension Official's Retirement Bash Raises Ethical Questions
• University of California Workers, Not Just Taxpayers, Must Chip in on Pensions (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Ontario, Canada Teachers' Group Alters Pension Fund Formula in Effort to Eliminate $12.7 Billion Deficit
• Credit Woes Convulse Plans of Massachusetts Cities and Towns and Their Pension Funds
• Texas State Senator Questions Cost of Pension Fund's New $750-An-Hour Legal Counsel
• Attorney Sues New York State and Nassau County to Get Six-Figure Public Pension Restored
• New Jersey State Worker, Retiree Health Benefits Not as Costly as Predicted, Says Governor's Report
• Chicago Transit Authority's Boss Wants to Hang Onto Police Pension

October 2, 2008

• CalPERS Loses $24.9 Billion But Stays Strong, Analysts Say
• CalPERS, CalSTRS Say They Remain Sound Amid Wall Street Woes
• Stockton, California Budget Deficit Solution Requires Police, Fire Cooperation (editorial - Record)
• Contra Costa County, California Pitched on Switching Employees to CalPERS' Health Plan
• San Luis Obispo, California Faces $4.8 Million Budget Shortfall After Cops' 30% Pay Raise
• Atlanta, Georgia's Pension Hole Is $64 Million Deeper
• Wayne County, Michigan Has Unfunded Liability of $1.9 Billion for Retiree Health Care (editorial - Detroit News)
• Privatization of Chicago's Midway Airport Could Yield $450 Million for City's Pension Funds (editorial - Sun-Times)
• Ex-Wife Gets the Last Word on Massachusetts State Trooper Hubby (column)
• Free Parking Perk Comes to an End for Public Employees in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Estonia Is Running Short of Pension Money
• Putin's Pension Talk Scares Russian Businesses

October 1, 2008

• Pension Tension: Waiting for the IRS to Talk About 'Normal Retirement Age' Rule Changes (blog)
• Fearing for Pensions, Americans Prod Lawmakers to Act on Economy
• CalPERS Gambles, Loses -- Again (column)
• Money Not the Motive for Many to Work Until Age 67
• Ontario, Canada's Teachers Take Pension Cutback to Help Eliminate $12.7 Billion Deficit
• WaMu Employees Try to Tally Stock Losses, Pension Uncertain
• Wal-Mart Expands Worker Health Benefits
• World Economic Forum Offers Scenarios for the Future of Pensions in a Rapidly Ageing World (release)
• VIDEO: The Future of Pensions and Healthcare in a Rapidly Ageing World - Scenarios to 2030

September 30, 2008

• Pension Industry Worldwide Is Struggling to Evaluate Consequences of Bailout Bill's Failure
• Financial Crisis Shock Waves Reach Municipalities
• Wachovia Deal Hits Large Public Pension Plans, Including CalPERS' 8.3 Million Shares
• Administrative Bloat in the Los Angeles Unified School District (editorial - Daily News)
• More on Pension Spiking in Fullerton, California (blog)
• California Govenor Signs Three Pension-Related Bills Into Law
• Gilroy, California School Superintendent Rewarded by Board With Unusual $12,000 Bonus
• $700 Billion Bailout? You Ain't Seen Nothin' Compared to $41 Trillion Unfunded Social Security and Medicare Costs (op-ed)
• Wisconsin's Local Governments Face $6 Billion Unfunded Liability for Retiree Health Care (subscription)
• New Jersey Pension Reform Bill Signed by Governor Will Save $150 Million in 14 Years, He Says
• New Jersey Pension Reform Bill Was Needed (editorial - Courier-Post)
• Very Little Pension Reform in New Jersey's Pension Reform Bill (blog)
• Rhode Island State Employees' Union Rebuffed by Court in Attempt to Block Benefits Change
• Cincinnati, Ohio May Reduce Retired City Workers' Health Benefits, Increase Retirement Age
• Disabled Vets Forced to Battle Social Security for Benefits
• National Financial Crisis Extra Worrisome to Those in Retirement

September 29, 2008

• Is Bankruptcy an Option for Gary, Indiana? City's Financial Picture Appears More Dire Than Vallejo, California's
• Is IRS Retirement Rule Change for Public Employees in Trouble? (newsblog)
• Los Angeles Teachers Union Threatens Strike Over Pay and Request for Contributions to Health Costs
• Washington Mutual Failure Hits CalPERS and Pension Funds in Los Angeles and San Francisco
• Erie, Pennsylvania's Public Employee Pension Costs Will Jump $1.5 Million for 2009
• Nevada's Elected Officials Must Fix Its Public Employee Pension System (column)
• Overtime Spiking Pays Big Pension Dividends When Some Western New York Police Officers Retire
• New York State's Police Chiefs Share Inflated Pensions With Rank-And-File Officers
• What Is a Fair Pension? (editorial - PolicePay.net)
• Would Knox County, Tennessee's Credit Rating Have Improved With an Unfunded Pension Plan on Its Books? (column)
• New Jersey's Governor to Sign Pension and Benefits Reform Bill
• Number of Rhode Island State Workers Opting for Retirement Soars
• Pensioners Revolt Against Trustees of Public Pension Funds in Illinois and Pennsylvania
• Testimony of the PBGC Director on 9/24/08 Before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight
• US Presidential Candidates in Tight Race Over Whose State Has Worse Performing Pension Fund
• FASB Postpones Pension Fund Disclosure Rule for a Year

September 27, 2008

• Pacific Grove, California to Vote on Withdrawing From CalPERS
• CalPERS Could Be Strained by Manhattan Real Estate Investment
• Keep on Spiking Those Pensions -- Please! (editorial rebuttal - PolicePay.net)
• New OPEB Strategies After the Market Meltdown (column)
• L.A. Department of Water and Power's Fat Raises Seem Like a Joke, But They're for Real (editorial - Daily News)
• Pay and Benefits for Tulare County, California's Board of Supervisors Is Third-Highest in San Joaquin Valley
• Unions Lose to Massachusetts Governor on Police Details at Road Construction Sites
• Long Island Rail Road Disability Pension Epidemic Calls for Independent Oversight (letter)
• Pension Funds Face Significant Losses, But Won't Be Bailed Out
• With Attention Focused on $700 Billion Bailout, House Sneaks Through $25 Billion Loan Package for Auto Industry
• Teamsters Union Seeks Pension Protections From Congress in Bailout
• Municipalities Also Find Credit Is Scarce

September 26, 2008

• Retirement Benefits Are Out of Control for Public Employees in Santa Cruz County, California (column)
• A Ground Rule: Put Vallejo Residents' Interests First (editorial - Times Herald)
• California State-Employed CPA Analyzes IRS Pension Rule (newsblog)
• Dysfunctional California (column)
• Public Employee Pensions Are Endangered by State Officials Playing Global Warming Politics, Report Says (release)
• Read the Report 'Pensions in Peril: Are State Officials Risking Public Employee Retirement Benefits by Playing Global Warming Politics?'
• New York's State Comptroller Targets Public Pension Cheats
• Part-Time Officials in Brick Township, New Jersey Shouldn't Get Full-Time Benefits (letter)
• Delphi to Send $3.4 Billion Worth of Pension Obligations to GM

September 25, 2008

• Public Pension Panic in Maryland: Public Employees Must Take Control of Their Financial Destinies (editorial - Baltimore Examiner)
• Only 3% of California's State Employees Are Working Past Age 65 (column)
• Girding for Benefits Battles: Get Ready for Tougher Labor Negotiations Ahead (column)
• California's Public Employee Unions Are Fighting Public Disclosure (blog)
• City of Vallejo, California and Its Three Unions Work on Ground Rules for New Negotiations
• Vallejo Police Compensation Tops Independent Pay Survey
• Pacifica, California Council Candidates Address Employee Pension Funding at Forum
• New York's MTA Chief Calls for Reform of Federal Railroad Workers' Pension System
• North Carolina's Treasurer Willing to Lend State's Pension Money to Federal Bailout Fund
• New Hampshire Public Employee Pension Fund Takes an $800 Million Hit
• New Jersey Voters Should Seize Power Over Any New State Debt (editorial - Courier-News)
• Texas Attorney General Calls for Transparent, Accountable Pension Funds
• Texas Attorney General Warns of $20 Billion Threat to Pension Funds
• Texas Attorney General Launches Website on Public Employee Pension Information
• Worcester, Massachusetts Council Opposes Income Tax Repeal
• Pensions of Five Companies Involved in Mortgage Crisis Underfunded by $400 Million, Says PBGC Chief
• Private Sector Workers Pay More for Less Health Care Coverage
• Survey Says Private Sector Workers' Family Health-Care Deductibles Jump 29%
• Declines in Assets Force Baby Boomer Generation in Private Sector to Delay Retirement
• Philippine WWII Veterans Seek Pension Equality From US Government

September 24, 2008

• If Union Takes Over College District in Orange County, California, Taxpayers Will Be in Trouble (column)
• Nevada's Growing Pay-As-You-Go Retiree Health Benefits Threaten Other Programs, Report Says
• Teacher Pension Pinch in Maryland (editorial - Baltimore Sun)
• New Jersey Panel Rejects Raising Drug Co-Pay for Retired Teachers
• School Districts Nationwide Assess Impact of Financial Turmoil on Pensions and Projects
• State and Local Officials Seek Help for Medicaid, Evaluate Pension Fund Losses
• Maine Website Maineopengov.org Lists Pay and Pension Info of State and School Employees
• New Website Glassdoor.com Makes Corporate Salaries More Transparent
• Sharp Rise in Employee Health Costs in Store for Next Year (blog)
• Federal Bankruptcy Judge Okays Delphi's Motion to Freeze Pension Plans
• Retirement-Minded Baby Boomers Come Face to Face With America's Faltering Economy

September 23, 2008

• The IRS May Become the Taxpayers' Ally in Reforming Public Employee Pensions (editorial - Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Read the Henderson Memo Outlining the Proposed IRS Regulation Regarding Public Employee Pensions (pdf)
• San Bernardino County, California Funneling Public Records Requests Through Unions
• Alton, Illinois Police Pension Fund Sues City for Under-Funding Account
• Small Law Firms Plunge Into Public Pension Fray
• Farmingon, Minnesota School Board Considers $12 Million Bond Sale to Cover Retirees' Health Benefits
• Minnesota Public Sector Facing Wave of Retirements
• Retirees Filling the Front Line in Market Fears
• To Retire Comfortably, It All Boils Down to Time

September 22, 2008

• New IRS Rule Would Eliminate Early Retirement Pay for Government Employees
• Stock Dive Hurts State Pension Funds, Budgets
• Why Pension Spiking Has to Stop -- Now (editorial - PolicePay.net)
• Unions Want to Keep Sweetheart Contracts in Vallejo, California (blog)
• Rhode Island Pension Commission Looks for Ways to Stop Costs From Soaring
• New York Governor Authorizes Investigation of Disability Pension Abuse at Long Island Rail Road
• Employee Benefits Helped Contribute to Auto Makers' Need for a Bailout (blog)
• Private Sector Consumers Cut Health Care Spending as Economic Downturn Takes Toll
• Families Are Bearing More Retirement Risk (column)

September 21, 2008

• Redding, California's Employees Need to Contribute to Their Pensions to Help Fix City's Budget (column)
• Minnesota's Employees May Be Forced to Contribute More to Their Pensions Because of Fund's Losses
• All US Taxpayers Will Pay for Rampant Disability Pension Fraud Among Long Island Rail Road Retirees
• Look at North Dakota Employees' Total Compensation, Not Just Pay (editorial - Grand Forks Herald)

September 20, 2008

• California's Budget Problems Tied Partly to Pension Boosts Granted in '99 (op-ed)
• Why 100% Under-Funding of Pensions Is Best for Everyone (editorial - PolicePay.net)
• Pay-As-You-Go Pensions (100% Under-Funding) Would Be a Fiscal Disaster (rebuttal - PolicePay.net)
• Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy Puts Municipal Bond Market Investors, Police on Edge
• Vallejo's Public Employee Unions Moving to Appeal Court's Bankruptcy Decision
• Read the Appeal by Vallejo's Employee Unions (pdf)
• Cook County, Illinois to Borrow $3.75 Billion; Part Will Be Used for Pension, Health Costs
• Montgomery County, Maryland's Police Disabiity Pensions Need Reform (editorial - Washington Post)
• Carbon County, Pennsylvania's Pension Fund Reels Along With Wall Street

September 19, 2008

• University of California Regents Revive Employee Pension Contributions
• Chula Vista, California's Path to Insolvency Aided by Pay, Pension Increases (column)
• CalSTRS Leads Big Pension Funds Against Aggressive Short-Sales Tactics
• Retired Mendocino County, California Employees to Pay More for Health Insurance
• After GASB 45: Report Says Many States Considering Limits on Future Retiree Health Cost Subsidies
• Great Neck, New York Water Official Decides Not to Double-Dip Pension and Salary
• New Jersey Workers Upset With Pension Fund Investments
• PBGC Takes on $7.3 Million Pension Liability of Bankrupt Rand McNally & Co.
• Fannie, Freddie, Then Social Security? (column)

September 18, 2008

• San Diego, California City Attorney Criticizes Pension Fund (newsblog)
• Free Lifetime Health Benefits Can Be Permanent for Council Members in Thousand Oaks, California
• University of California Workers Want Larger Role in Governing Pension Plan
• AIG to Return $138 Million of Rhode Island's Pension Funds
• Cook County, Illinois Considers Issuing $3.75 Billion in Bonds (newsblog)
• Livingston County, Michigan Looking at Offering Employee Buyouts to Balance Budget
• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin's Pension Fund Drops 6.4% Since Start of Year
• Winds of Change Blowing in Washington DC and on Beacon Hill, Massachusetts (column)
• Lehman Staff in UK Set to Lose Pensions

September 17, 2008

• Tomorrow's Local Government Pension Crisis Is Here (blog)
• Orange County Supervisor Moorlach Comments on $1 Million Legal Bill in Pension Battle (blog)
• Pension System Is Also in Turnmoil (column)
• Rhode Island's Pension Fund Has Lost $1 Billion Since the Beginning of the Year
• Unfortunately, Pension Reform Is Vital to Nevada's Health (column)
• Panel Recommends Raising North Dakota Government Workers' Pay, Keeping Free Health Benefits
• Massachusetts Governor Should Hang Tough on Police Details Reform (editorial - Daily News Tribune)
• New York City and State Brace for Greater Demands on Diminishing Resources
• Wisconsin Officials Say State, Local Pension Funds Safe From Trouble
• No Golden Parachutes for Political Cronies in Detroit (editorial - Detroit News)
• Teacher Retirement System of Texas Takes a Hit on Lehman Brother's Stock Holdings
• Money Market Fund Says Customers Could Lose Money

September 16, 2008

• Fixing Public Pensions in California (editorial - Long Beach Press-Telegram)
• CalPERS, CalSTRS Downplay Lehman Brothers' News
• Wall Street's Dive Hurts Sacramento, California Area
• Pension Promises Made by US State Governments Will Grow to Approximately $7.9 Trillion in 15 Years, Says Study
• Mutual and Pension Funds to Lose Billions on Lehman Collapse
• Pension Funds, Municipalities Will Also Be Victims of Lehman Fallout (blog)
• Omaha, Nebraska's Pension Funds Hit Hard as Markets Tumble
• New Mexico Retiree Health Care Program Will Be Insolvent by 2020; Has Unfunded Liability of $4.1 Billion
• Deduction for Retiree Health Benefits Riles Teachers in Clark County, Nevada
• Lawyer in the Middle of New York's Pension Scandal Rehired by School Districts

September 15, 2008

• Taxpayers Need Better Information About Pension Promises to Public Employees (editorial - Washington Post)
• California's Public Unions Owe Their Members More Than Bluster (column)
• Some Former Portsmouth, Virginia Employees Irked by Pension Cut
• Retirement Funding for Educators Fuels Fiscal Crunch in Missouri and Kansas
• West Virginia County School Systems, State at Odds Over Retiree Health Liability
• Pay Raises for Columbus, Ohio's Staff Called 'Excessive' by Some Council Members
• Massachusetts Police Unions Rush to Protect Lucrative Road Construction Details, Undermining Reform Effort
• Detroit Mayor Signs Over State Pension in Plea Deal
• Connecticut Pension Fund Loses $50 Million in Fannie, Freddie Takeover
• Health Costs Are Easing for Employers Because Burden Is Being Shifted to Workers
• Lehman in Bankruptcy; Merrill to Be Sold; A.i.g. Struggles

September 13, 2008

• The Pension Time Bomb (blog)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Faces $450 Million Shortfall Over 5 Years, Mayor Says; Pension Bonds Put on Hold
• New Mexico's Pension Funds Suffered More Than $2 Billion in Losses During Past Year
• New Jersey Pension Fund Lost $50 Million on Lehman Brothers
• GM Absorbs $3.4 Billion of Delphi Pension Debt
• Web 2.0 Challenges Notions of Public and Private Information

September 12, 2008

• The Pension Crisis, George Will's Column, and Orange County, California's Pension Lawsuit (blog)
• Cease-Fire in Vallejo, California? Unions Now Ready to Negotiate With City
• Lake Elsinore, California School District Considers OPEB Bonds
• Morris County, New Jersey Considering Layoffs Due to Increased Pension, Health Costs
• Pension Funds Seek Payback for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Losses
• Hedge Fund Glory Days Fading Fast; Pension Funds Pull Back on Investments

September 11, 2008

• Pension Time Bomb (column by George Will)
• Pension Plans Need Advice on Hedge Funds, Says GAO
• Read the GAO Report on Pension Plans Needing Advice on Hedge Funds (pdf)

September 10, 2008

• Orange County, California Sanitation District Chief Voted a $43,443 Pay Raise (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Federal Deficit More Than Double Last Year's, Estimates Say
• Nevada's $6.3 Billion Pension Deficit Demands Immediate, Wholesale Changes (editorial - Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Springfield, Missouri City Manager to Seek Sales Tax to Solve $140 Million Pension Shortfall
• Cobb County, Georgia to Change Its Pension Formula to Deal With $115 Million Unfunded Liability

September 9, 2008

• Pension Spiking Will Cost Californians (op-ed)
• Study Says Nevada's 'Rolls-Royce' Pension Plan Is a Drain on State and Local Resources
• CHART: Nevada's Retirement Benefits Compared to Other States
• Pension Fund Obligations Threaten to Drown Taxpayers (editorial - Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Federal Court Says Vallejo, California Is Officially Bankrupt
• Vallejo, California Decision Delayed 3 Month; Police and Fire Granted Stay of Execution (editorial - Policepay.net)
• Video Clips of Council Meetings Play Role in Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy Hearing
• Governor Should Veto Vision Care Perk California Legislators Gave Themselves (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• California Correctional Officers' Union to Launch Recall of Governor Schwarzenegger
• San Diego City Attorney's Pension Battle Gets National Notice
• Mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pitches Pension Reform

September 8, 2008

• Fullerton, California Councilman Gets Kudos From Orange County Supervisor on Pension Boost Disclosure (newsletter)
• San Diego's Pension Brawl (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• Taxpayers Take on Trillions in Risk in Federal Takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
• Jacksonville, Florida's Police and Firefighters Won't Give Up Defined-Benefit Pensions Despite $534 Million Shortfall
• Rutherford County, Tennessee Rethinks Plan to Increase Retirees' Health-Care Premiums
• Making Public Salaries Sane in New Jersey (column)
• Divestment From 'Terror Stocks' May Not Be Good Business for Pension Funds (column)
• Traditional Corporate Pensions Are Losing Popularity (column)
• Helping the Masses Build Nest Eggs (column)

September 7, 2008

• Orange County, California's Retirement Fund Lost $300 Million in June (newsblog)
• Visalia, California Councilman to Become Double-Dipper at Cal State Fullerton
• Vallejo and Union Officials Look Ahead to Continued Negotiations
• Public Pension Accounting Changes Could Cost Taxpayers More Money (editorial - Watertown Daily Times)
• Sangamon County, Illinois Sweetens Severance Deal to Cut Work Force
• Open New York's Pension Fund Options (op-Ed)
• New Study Says Defined-Benefit Pension Is a Huge Contributor to Financial Security
• Alabama Citizen Activist Group Files Suit Over Jefferson County Debt
• Taxpayers to Bail Out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
• Freddie-Fannie Bailout Just the Start of 'Once-In-A-Century Crisis' (Q&A)
• Wall Street: a Con Game in Pinstripes (column)
• Magic, Mumbo-Jumbo Were Used to Sell Muniland Swaps to Public Officials (column)
• Mccain, Obama Split Over Social Security

September 6, 2008

• Judge Rules Vallejo, California Meets Bankruptcy Requirements
• Why Defined Contribution Pensions Are Best for Employees (blog)
• Sonoma County, California Safety Officers Battle on Benefits
• Calstrs Continues Talks About Investing in Tobacco Companies (blog)
• Illinois State Employees to Get 15.25% Raise, No Increase in Health Payments
• West Virginia Attorney General Stays Out of School Health Benefit Accounting Debate
• New York Governor Vetoes Bill Forbidding Cities From Making Retiree Health Care Spending Cuts
• Kent County, Delaware Discusses Switching County's Pension Plan Funds

September 5, 2008

• Fullerton, California Council Members Criticize Newspaper's Columns on Pension Boost (blog - PensionWatch)
• Proposed Actuarial Changes Could Force Increased Contributions by Governments to Their Pension Plans
• Health Care Costs for Small Firms Expected to Rise Again Next Year; Many Expected to Dump Benefits (blog)
• Cobb County, Georgia's Employee Pension Plan Under-Funded by $115 Million
• Mehlville, Missouri Firefighters Only Interested in Litigation, Not Negotiation, Over Pension Plan Change (editorial - Icall)
• Needed: a Lawsuit on Duluth, Minnesota's Retiree Benefits (column)
• Farmington, Minnesota School District Told to Share Superintendent's Contract Details
• Zionsville, Indiana Cops Get Pension Boost
• New York to Lower Employer Contribution to Public Pension Funds
• Public Salaries and Benefits Are What's Really Hurting New Yorkers' Wallets (column)
• Another Attorney Removed From Pension System in Nassau County, New York
• Rhode Island Seeks Limits on Medicaid Spending
• Wall Street Weighs Jefferson County, Alabama's Debt Offer
• Taxpayers Would Be on the Hook for Failure of FDIC or PBGC
• Crunch Hits Complex Pension Investments in Uk

September 4, 2008

• CalPERS Moves to Have Its Say on Orange County, California's Pension Lawsuit
• California's Attorney General Doesn't Understand Pension Lawsuit, Says Orange County Supervisor Moorlach (blog - PensionWatch)
• California Attorney General Defends His Involvement in Orange County Deputy Pension Case (newsblog)
• Suspense!!! -- Vallejo Awaits Bankruptcy Decision (blog)
• Lessons to Be Learned by Davis and Other California Cities From the Bankruptcy of Vallejo (blog)
• Are Pension Funds Drifting Towards Disaster? (blog)
• Stockton, California Must Do Something 'And Fast' to Fix Budget Problems (editorial - Record)
• Clovis, California Police Are Giving Back Wages and Benefits to Help With City's Budget Gap
• Firefighters in Clinton Township, Michigan Could Drain Pension Fund
• Study Finds That Workers in Private Sector Will Pay More for Health Care as Employers Pass on Costs

September 3, 2008

• CalPERS Wants a Voice in the Pension Fight in Orange County, California
• California'A Attorney General Joins Fight Over Orange County Deputies' Pensions
• California Attorney General Takes Orange County Deputies' Side in Pension Fight
• How Local New York Lawmakers Are Ignoring Constituents' Pleas on High Taxes (op-ed)

September 2, 2008

• San Diego/City: Bonuses Beefed Up Development Authority Executives' Retirement Accounts
• Vallejo, California Bankruptcy Ruling Imminent
• Pension Reforms Delayed in New Jersey (column)
• New Jersey Governor's Sympathies Misplaced in Delayed Pension Bill Signing (editorial - Press of Atlantic City)
• New Jersey's Governor Must Sign Pension Bill (letter)
• What Bankruptcy Would Mean to Jefferson County, Alabama

September 1, 2008

• Unionizing Silicon Valley (editorial - EcoWorld)
• How Unions Hurt Many Workers (op-ed)
• Concerns This Labor Day (column)
• Escondido, California School District to Look at Options to Cover $17.9 Million OPEB Liability
• Illinois Legislators Are Irked Because They Have No Say in Labor Negotiations, Yet Have to Pay
• Pittsburgh's Mayor Can Can Chalk Up Some Successes, but Pension Fund Is Still Short $569 Million
• Evanston, Illinois Pension Committee Still Working on Report on $145 Million Shortfall
• New Jersey Governor Hurts Taxpayers by Not Signing Pension Reform Legislation (editorial - Star-Ledger)
• Blame New Jersey's Governor for Not Yet Signing Pension Reform Bill (editorial - Daily Record)
• Alabama OKs Health Care Fee for Obese Public Employees
• Iowa's Pension Fund Loses 1.3%, Has Long-Term Shortfall of $2 Billion
• Indiana Police Officers Injured in the Line of Duty Often Have Trouble Collecting Disability Pensions
• High Cost of Health Care Takes Toll on Retirees in Private Sector
• Laboring Longer Is a Growing Trend for Americans in the Private Sector
• GM Offers More Early Retirement Buyouts
• Reprieve From Brink of Bankruptcy for Jefferson County, Alabama
• Regulators and Industry Spar Over Meaning of 'Swap'
• Social Security Is Unsustainable (op-ed)
• Social Security Increases Poverty (column)

August 29, 2008

• San Diego/City: Moody's Upgrades City's Credit Rating to 'Stable'
• Orange County Sanitation District Manager's Pay Hike Raises a Bit of a Stink
• CalPERS, AFSCME Criticize Oracle CEO Larry Ellison's $72-Million Pay Package
• New Jersey Governor's Delay in Signing Reform Bill Means Thousands of New Teachers Will Receive Fatter Pensions
• Newington, Connecticut Police Retirees Sue Over Reduced Benefits
• It's Payback Time for Portland, Oregon's Pension Fund (editorial - Oregonian)
• Texas Legislator Expresses Concern About Pension Fund's New Legal Adviser
• Workers' Retirement Assets Shrink at Fannie and Freddie
• Absenteeism Among Public Employees in Italy Is a Plague

August 28, 2008

• Scathing Audit Blasts San Jose, California Retirement Boards Over Travel Expenses
• Sheriff's Deputies Still Racking Up Excessive Overtime in Orange County, California
• Two Americas: Private Sector Gets Zilch and the Public Sector Filches (column)
• Illinois' State AFSCME Members Get 15.2% Raise, but Will Not Pay More Toward Pensions
• CalPERS, Other Large Pension Funds Watch Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
• ALCOA, Retirees in Court Battle Over Change in Health Benefits
• Norwegian Parliament's Generous Pension Plans May Be Scrapped

August 27, 2008

• Fullerton, California City Employees' Pension Plan Stirs Controversy
• Pension-Spiking Schemes in Orange County, California (editorial - Press-Telegram)
• Police, Fire Gaps in Barstow, California Are Self-Inflicted Wounds (editorial - Desert Dispatch)
• Lawyer at Center of New York Pension Probe Must Pay Back $83,624
• New York's Comptroller Says Attorney's Pension Was Improper; $600,000 Must Be Repaid
• Police 'Deserve' High Pay and Pensions -- Firefighters Do Not (blog - Pensionwatch)
• Changes Are Coming to Idaho Retirees' Health Benefits Due to $477 Million Liability and GASB 45 (with video)
• Idaho's Private Sector Employers Are Offering Fewer Health Benefits
• Rhode Island Pension Reform Commission to Meet Today (blog)
• Pensions in Jacksonville: Buy Now, Pay Later (editorial - Florida Times-Union)
• Washoe County, Nevada's Union Employees to Receive Raises, Offsetting Higher Pension Costs
• Jefferson County, Alabama Begins Preparing a Plan for Bankruptcy
• Deal Shifts GM Pensions to Delphi; Retirees Fear Its Default
• Boeing Drops Defined-Contribution Pension Proposal in Union Talks
• Boeing's Costly Pension Breakthrough
• Goodyear Retiree Trust-Fund Plan Is a Healthy Deal (editorial - Akron Beacon Journal)

August 26, 2008

• San Marcos, California School District Moves Forward on $54 Million OPEB Bond Plan
• Most of California's Budgetary Ills Can Be Traced to the Inordinate Political Power of Its Public Employee Unions (column)
• Tyrone, Georgia's Finance Director Says Town Is 'Broke'
• Springfield, Missouri Can't Invest Its Way Out of Its $140 Million Pension Shortfall, Says New City Manager
• Live Report From Springfield, Missouri's Police-Fire Pension Crisis Briefing (blog)
• Vallejo, Califonia Blocks Employees' Ability to Comment on Political Blogs
• California's Treasurer to Speak at Conference in San Francisco on Pension Fund 'Mission Related' Investing (press release)
• New Jersey Pensions Can Go, Don't You Know? (blog)
• Double-Dipping Could Be Eased by School District Consolidations (editorial - Buffalo News)
• Jefferson County, Alabama: Swaps Money Train Prepares for Final Run in Muniland (column)
• Pension Expert Discusses the 'New Retirement' (interview)
• Could PBGC Be Yet Another Taxpayer Bailout on the Horizon? (blog)
• Private Sector Retirees Deserve Benefits They Earned (op-ed)
• Pension Aristocrats in the UK: Top Plans for Public Employees Boom While Private Sector Plans 'Face Extinction'
• EU Pension Timebomb Ticks as Population Ages

August 25, 2008

• California's Brown Act and the Letter vs. the Spirit of the Law in Fullerton (blog)
• Are Santa Ana, California's City Council Members Dumber Than Worms? (blog)
• San Marcos, California School Board to Sell $54 Million in OPEB Bonds
• Nassau County, New York Tightens Requirements for Lifetime Health Benefits; Current Liability Is $3.4 Billion
• Chattanooga, Tennessee's Fire-Police Pension Fund Closer to Resolution of $62-95 Million Shortfall
• Albert Lea, Minnesota School District to Issue $6.1 Million Bond to Cover Retiree Health Costs
• New Jersey Pension Reform Measure Still on Governor's Desk
• Illinois Playing 'Catch-Up' on Underfunded Teachers' Pension Plan
• Teacher, Administrative Salaries on the Rise in Illinois
• West Virginia Lawmakers Await Update From Teacher Pension Move
• Federal Judge Approves Goodyear Health Care Trust (VEBA)
• Commodities: Second Chance for Pension Funds? (column)
• Budget Transparency Problems Are Identified in 50-State Survey; California, Illinois Among Worst
• Social Security on Ice (editorial - Washington Post)

August 24, 2008

• Worms on Fullerton and Santa Ana City Councils Make Taxpayers Squirm (column)
• Contra Costa County's Sheriff's Deputies Want to Sweeten Pension Deal With a DROP (column)
• Question of Whether Vallejo, California Can File for Bankruptcy Is Now in Judge's Hands
• Vallejo Mayor's Gag Order Assaults Rights of Employees, Citizens (editorial - Times-Herald)
• Stockton, California Must Weigh Its Deficit; Police Pay Raise a Concern (editorial - Record)
• Unions in Modesto, California Are Not Pushing Too Hard for Raises in Tough Economic Climate
• Former California Prison Guard Gets 7-Year Prison Sentence for Pension Fraud
• Pension Deficit Disorder (column)
• Needed: Stronger Opeb Laws (column)
• Omaha, Nebraska's Police-Firefighter Pension Fund Has Shortfall of $354 Million
• Simple Fact Is That Gary, Indiana Has Too Many Employees (column)
• Can Illinois Cities Afford to Keep Paying Pensions?
• Rhode Island Must Address Its Financial Nightmare (op-ed)
• Chicago's Mayor and Most Aldermen Skip Unpaid Furlough Days (newsblog)
• Allentown, Pennsylvania's Mayor Needs Help Fixing Pension Mess (op-ed)
• New Jersey Court OK's Plan to Invest $9 Billion of Public Pension Money in Hedge Funds
• Bankruptcy Option Now Being Considered for Jefferson County, Alabama
• Country's Obligations Total $53 Trillion Including Social Security, Medicare (transcript - scroll down)
• Report Says Medicare May Have Paid $2.8 Billion in Improper or Fake Claims (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• Social Security Won't Save Baby Boomers (column)
• Report Says 2.8 Million Hours of Work Are Lost Each Year Because Federal Employees Are AWOL (with video)
• Conventions for Democrats and Republicans Getting $34 Million Taxpayer Subsidy (with video)

August 22, 2008

• Ongoing Looting: That's What Local Government in SoCal Often Amounts To (blog)
• Fullerton, California Pension-Spiking Gets National Attention (blog)
• New Documentary I.O.U.S.A. Helps Us Comprehend Our $9.5 Trillion Debt (blog - PensionWatch)
• Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy Plea Stays Alive
• Vallejo Workers Told to Keep Quiet Over Bankruptcy (with video)
• Bill to Open CalPERS to Private Sector Looks Dead -- At Least for This Year
• Judge Dismisses San Diego Police Officers' Overtime Claims
• Boston's 'Disabled' Bodybuilding Firefighter Loses Bid to Be Reinstated
• Extra Pounds Will Mean Insurance Fees for Alabama's State Employees
• Texas' Top Leaders Want Pension Funds to Invest in Highway Construction
• Profit Without Risk for the PBGC? Not Likely (column)
• When Pensions and Teachers Collide (editorial - Los Angeles Times)

August 21, 2008

• Fullerton, California's Dirty Little Secret Retro-Pension (column - Girard Miller)
• Pensions in Fullerton: Political Expediency Impels Politicians to Hide Their Pension and Benefit Boosting (op-ed)
• Fullerton City Council Lectures on Brown Act, Chastises Pro-Taxpayer Councilman (blog)
• Ventura, California's Firefighters Get Pension Boost to 3%-at-55
• Ventura 'Not Going Bankrupt' Over Public Employee Pensions, Says City Manager (blog)
• Public Money Has No Accountability in Grass Valley, California (letter)
• A Tax Revolt Is Quietly Brewing in Some States
• West Virginia School Systems Grapple With Reporting of GASB 45 Unfunded Liabilities
• Nevada's Pension Fund Loses 3.4%
• New York Revokes Pension of Prominent Garden City Lawyer
• A Pension Tsunami Is About to Destroy Retirement as We Know It (column)
• Court Ruling on Cash-Balance Plans a Partial Win for Both Sides
• Social Security Reform Oversights (op-ed)
• I.O.U. Social Security (letter)
• We Can't Tax Our Way Out of the Entitlement Crisis (op-ed)

August 20, 2008

• Fullerton, California's Pension Saga Highlights Rampant Fleecing of the Public (editorial - Los Angeles Daily News)
• Economic Downturn Takes a Toll on California and San Francisco Pension Systems
• Unions Seek Dismissal of Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy Plea
• The Imperfect 401(k) (editorial - Long Beach Press-Telegram)
• Sonoma County, California Ro Reduce Health Benefit Subsidies for Current and Retired Employees
• School Districts in North San Diego County, California Look at Cutting OPEBs
• Pacific Grove, California Puts Pension Change Issue on November Ballot
• Kalamazoo County, Michigan Votes to Raise Retirement Age for Its Employees to 65
• White Bear Lake, Minnesota School District to Issue $40 Million OPEB Bond
• Portland, Oregon's Public Safety Pension Fund Overpays $3.1 Million in Benefits to 940 Police and Fire Retirees
• Report on Status of Local Governments' GASB 45 Compliance Issued
• PBGC to Shift Money Into Riskier Assets; United Airlines Employees Take Note (column)
• GM Canada's Pension Fund Faces $5 Billion Shortfall

August 19, 2008

• Fullerton, California Places Pension Boost on the City Council Meeting Agenda -- Sorta (blog - PensionWatch)
• Pension Spiking All the Rage in Santa Ana and Fullerton, California (blog)
• City Survey Must Compare Las Vegas Workers' Compensation to Private Sector's (editorial - Review-Journal)
• Debate on Changes to Employee Health Benefits Is Today in Sonoma County, California
• Did CalPERS Cave in to the Engineers' Union? (blog)
• CalPERS to Invest in California's Infrastructure
• The Pros and Cons of CalPERS' Investments in Infrastructure (blog)
• Chicago Aldermen Urged to Give Up Pay Hike, Lead by Example in Tough Times
• North Carolina Pension Fund Drops 2%
• Let Texas Governments Buy Annuities, Says Lawmaker Who Sells Them
• China's Impending Catastrophe Is Its Shrinking, Aging Population (column)

August 18, 2008

• Pensions and Ethics in Fullerton, California (editorial - Long Beach Press-Telegram)
• Benefits Raise Public Employee Costs Way Above Average in Contra Costa County, California (column)
• Cooking California's Books (op-ed)
• Government Workers Union Backs Candidates in Sonoma County, California Supervisors' Race
• Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy Case Proves Time-Consuming
• Government Employee Benefits Are Best (column)
• Market Losses and Retirements Leave Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Pension Fund 37% Funded
• Target of Milwaukee County's Pension Lawsuit Over 'Backdrop' Benefit Blames Milwaukee Law Firm
• CalPERS Supplants Stocks With Apollo Funds Amid Rising Defaults
• Alternative Investments: Are Pension Funds Taking a Dangerous Leap of Faith? (blog)
• Anti-Double-Dipping Measure Proposed for Hoboken, New Jersey City Council Is Sent to Committee
• Kentucky State Worker Retirements Are Running Below Projections, Making Layoffs a Possibility (column)
• How New Jersey's Pension Fund Handles Risk From Its High Profile Stakes in Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, and Lehman
• GAO Says PBGC Has Understated the Risks of Its New Investment Policy

August 17, 2008

• The City of Fullerton, California vs. Open Government (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Watch Out for the Wrecking Ball, Kaleefornya (column)
• Atlanta Georgia May Form Task Force to Tackle $1 Billion Pension Liability Crisis
• Public Employee Pensions Are Biggest Contributor to Need for Tax Hike in Macomb County, Michigan
• Slidell, Louisiana Changes Health Benefits for New Hires to Deal With $40 Million OPEB Liability
• Key Figure in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin 'Backdrop' Pension Scandal Dies
• Alabama's Jefferson County Is on Brink of Biggest Municipal Bankruptcy in US History
• 1,000 Chicago Workers Face Layoffs Due to $400 Million Budget Deficit, Says Mayor's Adviser
• When It Comes to Layoffs in Chicago, Everybody Is a Target -- Including Cops and Firefighters
• 152 Chicago City Employees Opt for Retirement Buyout
• Cook County, Illinois Workers Got 8% Raise Last Year, Leading to Sales Tax Hike

August 16, 2008

• Santa Ana, California City Council Planning to Boost Employee Pensions Despite Deficit (blog)
• What Would Senator Everett Dirksen Say About Today's Government Spending in New Jersey? (editorial - the Citizen)
• 25% of New Jersey Public Employee Pension Checks Are Sent Out of State (blog)
• Kentucky's Pension Reform: Changes Prompt Some Public Employees to Call It Quits
• Minnesota's Pension System Changes as Public Employees Work After Retirement
• Kill Social Security for the Right Reasons (blog)
• The Social Security 'Windfall Elimination Provision' -- A Windfall That Will Blow You Away (column)
• Less Than Golden Years (editorial - New York Times)
• Retire Now, and Risk Falling Short on Your Nest Egg

August 15, 2008

• Sharp Increase in California Workers' Pensions Was One of Three Irresponsible Decisions (column)
• Fullerton, California's Pro-Union Council Members May Punish Friend of Taxpayers for Contesting Pension Spiking
• Engineers' Union Won't Sue CalPERS Over Public-Private Investment Policy
• Chicago, Illinois Facing $420 Million Budget Hole
• Taxpayers Contribute Millions to Indiana Lawmakers' Generous Pension Plan
• Expiring Health Benefits for Public Employees Prompt Retirement Exodus in Nevada
• West Des Moines, Iowa Seeks Ways to Lower Cost of Employees' Health Coverage
• Increase in Cost of Health Benefits Will Average 7.5% for Georgia's Employees and Retirees
• South Carolina Public Employees Who Smoke to Pay More for Health Insurance
• Riskier Investments Are Seen by Some State Public Pension Funds as a Way to Make Up Losses
• Public Pension Fund Executives Are Wary of IRS Survey
• Jefferson County, Alabama to Offer Voters a Voice on $3.2 Billion Sewer Debt Crisis
• Delphi Being Pressured Over Pension Obligations to Avoid $2.5 Billion Hit to PBGC
• Judge Orders Raytheon to Restore Health Benefits to Employees Who Took Early Retirement
• McClatchy Newspaper Chain to Freeze Employees' Pay for a Year
• Social Security: It Is a Disgrace (editorial - New Hampshire Union Leader)
• Ross Perot Talks About Our $9.4 Trillion Federal Debt and Social Security
• America the Old (column)
• Create Private Accounts for Social Security, Says Libertarian Presidential Candidate

August 14, 2008

• Fullerton, California Councilman Pushes for Key Change in Brown Act Relating to Pension Negotiations (blog)
• Fullerton City Council Should Put Proposed 25% Pension Boost on the Agenda for Discussion (blog - PensionWatch)
• $495 Million Unfunded Liability for Lifetime Health Benefits Will Be Key as West Contra Costa School District and Teachers Begin Contract Talks
• All Contra Costa County Public Employees' Salaries and Benefits Are Now Listed Online
• For One San Diego School Executive, an E-Mail Seemingly Saved a Pension
• Atlanta, Georgia Schools Pension Fund Has a $510 Million Deficit
• Jacksonville, Florida's $765 Million Unfunded Pension Liability for Public Safety Puts City at Risk of Bankruptcy
• Illinois State Workers Protest Paying Higher Health Insurance Costs
• CalPERS and CalSTRS and What's in the Public's Interest (blog)
• Lawsuit Aims to Halt CalPERS Infrastructure Investing
• Big Pension Funds, Including CalSTRS and CalPERS, Eye Reinvesting in Tobacco Firms
• Two Commissioners Say Bankruptcy Is Close for Jefferson County, Alabama
• Social Security Is Morally Bankrupt (column)

August 13, 2008

• Pension Spiking in Fullerton, California Behind Closed Doors (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Public Sector Eyes Defined-Contribution Pension Plans to Offset Benefit Costs
• California Assemblyman Spitzer Should Buy Domain Name PensionSpike.com (blog)
• Sobering Numbers From New Jersey Pension Systems (blog)
• Loophole Allows New York Educators to Collect Both Salaries and Pensions
• Logic Sealed Massachusetts Pension COLA's Fate (editorial - Boston Herald)
• Texas Legislator Floats Idea to Help Cover Rising Retiree Benefit Costs
• Texas Lawmaker Wants Teacher Pay Tied to Legislative Pensions
• Police Overtime Bruises Bridgeport, Connecticut's Budget
• Chattanooga, Tennessee Firefighters, Police Concerned About Pension Changes
• Florida State Pension Fund Loses 4.4%
• Hawaii State Pension Fund Loses 3.4%
• Health Benefits Inspire Rush to Marry, or Divorce

August 12, 2008

• Government Workers Are Reaping More Benefits Than Private Industry Employees
• Mayor of San Bernardino, California Says Vallejo Bankruptcy Is a 'Canary in a Coal Mine'
• 20% of Vallejo's Police Force Leaves, Fearing Pension Cuts
• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin's Pension Giveaway Didn't Mainly Go to Fat Cats. So What? (blog)
• 40% of Montgomery County, Maryland's Public Safety Retirees Get Disability Benefits
• Massachusetts Governor Vetoes Pension COLA That Could Have Cost Taxpayers Billions
• Worcester, Massachusetts Says Proposal to Cover Retirees' Medicare Part B Would Cost $3.8 Million Annually
• Jacksonville, Florida's Pension Plans Need Drastic Changes, Says Tax Watchdog Group
• Nevada Public Employees Face Reduced Benefits and Increased Premiums
• Bonita Springs, Florida Fire Commissioners Nix Funding Own Health Benefits
• Lyon County, Minnesota's Sheriff to Retire to Lock in Health Benefits
• New Hampshire Pension Funds Mulling Challenge to Sudan Divestment Law
• Aerospace Union Wants Boeing to Disclose Executives' Pension Info
• Boeing Says It Doesn't Raid Workers Pension Funds (blog)

August 11, 2008

• Door Appears to Revolve Too Fast for Ex-Pension Fund Boss for the City of Los Angeles
• Public Entities Generally Keep Traditional Defined-Benefit Pension Plans
• Bulk of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin's Six-Figure Pension Backdrop Payments Went to Midlevel Employees
• Stamford, Connecticut Retired Cops Make Their Case for a Pension COLA
• The World of Public Employee Unions Is Different (editorial - Austin American-Statesman)
• Alabama's Pension Fund Chief Is Willing to Sell Sewer Back to Jefferson County for Same Price It Would Pay
• Slept Through Rice Age, Awoke to Commodity Bear (column)
• The Demise of Newspapers Is the Death Knell of What We Need to Know About Public Pensions, Benefits (column)
• Pensions of S&P 500 Companies Now Underfunded by About $110 Billion
• GM Health Benefits to Cost More for Salaried Employees
• New Verizon Contract Cuts Retiree Health Care Benefits for New Hires
• Social Security Reform Backburnered but Needs Action, Says Economist
• China's Rapidly Aging Population May Strain Its Economy (column)

August 10, 2008

• It's the Public's Fault That the California Legislature Is a Mess (column)
• How the US Government Has Mismanaged the Country (blog - PensionWatch)
• Sonoma County, California Government Retirees Say Administrators Want to Renege on Health Care Promise
• Public Employee Pensions Will Cost New Jersey $5 Billion This Year
• West Virginia State Employees Need to Shoulder More of Health Care Cost (column)
• Educators Hit Pay Dirt With Pensions in New York State
• Muskegon County, Michigan Faces Budget Battle as Costs for Pensions and Benefits Increase
• Unfunny Pension Issue Hits the Funnies (blog - Pensionwatch)
• IRS Slams Door on Transfer of Pensions to Financial Services Firms
• Frozen Pension Plan Sales Could Help Employers (analysis)

August 9, 2008

• California's State Workers Face a Big Deficit of Public Support
• Other California Localities Watching Impact of Vallejo's Bankruptcy on Pension Promises
• Pensions Are the Ideal Item for Creatively Deceptive Budgeting by States (op-ed)
• Unhappy Sonoma County, California Retirees Face Reduction in Benefits
• Napa, California City Council Responds to Grand Jury on Pensions, Says Finances Are Solid
• What the Latest News on San Diego County's Pension Fund Didn't Mention (blog - Pensionwatch)
• Barnegat, New Jersey Workers May Be Charged 1.5% for Health Benefits
• Massachusetts State Pension Fund Is No Grab Bag (editorial - Boston Herald)
• State of Alabama Should Not Have to Bail Out Jefferson County (editorial - Tuscaloosa News)

August 8, 2008

• Statewide, Pennsylvania's Unfunded Pension Liabilities Are in the Billions
• Sonoma County, California's Retirees Face Increased Cost for Health Benefits
• San Diego County's Pension Deficit to Decline by $293 Million
• Cross-Examination Dominates 4th Day of Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy Trial
• Some Vallejo Residents Want Voices Heard in Bankruptcy Trial
• Bankruptcy Seems Inevitable for Jefferson County, Alabama Say Commissioners at Forum (blog)
• Controlling Health Insurance Cost Increases in West Virginia (editorial - Intelligencer)
• Nevada State Employees to See Reduced Insurance Benefits and Higher Premiums
• Massachusetts State Treasurer Rejects Proposal to Use Pension Funds for College Loans
• Foundations and Endowments Beat Returns of Public Pension Funds

August 7, 2008

• Monrovia, California City Council Approves Issuance of Pension Obligation Bonds
• Los Angeles Official Questions Pension 'Buy Back' Deal for Department of Water and Power Official
• Massachusetts Governor Turns to State Pension Fund as College Loans Savior (video)
• New York's Pension Gamble With Nontraditional Investments (editorial - Times Union)
• West Virginia's Public-Sector Workers Must Face Higher Health Care Costs, Too (editorial - Charleston Daily Mail)
• North Carolina Former Elected Officials' Benefits May Be Illegal
• Michigan Pension Funds Will Boost Promising Ventures (column)
• US Treasury Rules Against Pension Transfers to Unrelated Firms
• Defined Benefit Plans Have Always Been Underfunded (blog)
• Growing Demand for Care Strains US Health System
• UK Pilots' Pension Strike Called Off

August 6, 2008

• Orange County, California's Pension Liability Increases by $400 Million to $2.7 Billion
• Massachusetts Faces $13.3 Billion Unfunded Healthcare Bill for Retirees
• Massachusetts Pension Fund Chief and Staff May Get Bonuses Despite $1 Billion Loss
• Municipal Retirees in Berkshire County, Massachusetts Won't Get COLA Approved for State Employees
• Bay City, Michigan Has $123.5 Million Unfunded OPEB Liability (blog)
• End the Social Security Disability Backlog (editorial - Oregonian)
• Social Security, Medicare Are Disaster for Younger Generation, Economist Says
• A Sensible Plan for Social Security (column)
• Sullivan County, Tennessee May Scale Back Health Benefits for Future Employees
• Westchester County, New York Cannot Reduce Retiree Health Benefits, Says Judge
• North Carolina Court Says Diversion of Pension Funds Is Unconstitutional
• Now Wall Street Wants Your Pension, Too
• Europe Tries to Handle Political Fallout of Pension Reforms
• Uk's Largest Pension Funds Have Plunged Deep Into the Red
• UK Airline Pilots to Hold Two-Day Strike Over Pensions
• Czech President Signs Bill to Increase Retirement Age

August 5, 2008

• Veto Massachusetts' Fiscally Irresponsible Pension COLA Bill (editorial - Boston Globe)
• Massachusetts Pension Fund for State Employees Posts First Loss in 5 Years
• Business Channel Interviews Take a Look at the Death of the Defined-Benefit Pension Plan (video - PensionWatch)
• Monrovia, California Plans to Issue Pension Obligation Bonds
• Statewide and City Sales Tax Increases in California Will All End Up Going to Fund Public Employee Pensions (PensionWatch)
• San Diego City Attorney Withholds Retirement Settlement From Canine Officer
• Retirement Contributions to Be Refunded to Employees of Christian County, Missouri
• New York's State of Strain: Dire Warnings From Comptroller
• New York State's Pension Fund Earns 2.5%
• New York State's Comptroller Has an Idea for Increasing Pension Fund's Growth
• Broome County, New York Health Benefits Task Force to Discuss $340 Million Unfunded Opeb Liability
• Wall Street Journal Article on Conversion of Company Pension Plans to Include Executives Is Criticized (blog)
• A Gray Tsunami Cometh

August 4, 2008

• Stockton, California Police Refuse To Make Pay Concessions Despite $10 Million Budget Gap (editorial - Stockton Record)
• San Bernardino, California Police, Fire Personnel Unconvinced City's Financial Crisis Is Real
• Despite Criticism by CalPERS, It's Not Illegal to Pay CEOs Enormous Amounts of Money (column)
• Fort Worth, Texas Police Union Insisting on 30% Pay Raise Despite Tight Budget
• Most Public Employees in Columbus, Ohio Contribute Nothing Toward Their Own Pensions
• Flagler County, Florida May Ask Employees to Pay More of Their Health Care Costs
• Cape Coral, Florida May Freeze Police, Fire Salaries to Help Deal With Budget Shortfall
• Companies Tap Their Pension Plans to Fund Executive Benefits
• PBGC Could Be Hit With $15 Billion in Pension Liabilities if Delta Buys Northwest

August 3, 2008

• Atlanta, Georgia's Social Security Disability Hearing Offices Are Known as 'The Backlog Capital of the Country'
• Social Security Disability Benefits Backlog Swells in Oregon
• Getting Social Security Disability Payments in Oregon Can Be a Fight to the Death
• Sick and Homeless, Oregon Man Gets Social Security Disability Benefits Days Before Dying
• Stories of Four Social Security Disability Applicants in Oregon With Video Interviews
• Average Wait for Social Security Disability Hearing in Florida Is Five Years (with audio)

August 2, 2008

• Massachusetts Legislature Approves Unfunded COLA That Could Cost Taxpayers $3 Billion
• Vote 'Yes' to Abolish Massachusetts Income Tax to Stick It to Those Jokers (column)
• Firefighters on Disability in Boston, Massachusetts Cash in Big
• Boston Pension Board Official to Retire as Firefighter Disability Pension Claims Pile Up
• Los Angeles Ethics Panel Investigates Ex-Pension Fund Manager's New Job
• Evanston, Illinois 'Falling Apart' as Early Retirement Incentive Proves Poisonous
• Evanston, Illinois Blue Ribbon Pension Panel Wants Zero-Based Budgeting
• Jefferson County, Alabama Avoids Bankruptcy With Extension on $3.2 Billion Debt
• Taxpayer Group Renews Call for Congressional Pension Reform in Wake of Senator Ted Stevens' Indictment (release)
• PBGC Seeks Investment Partners

August 1, 2008

• America's $53 Trillion Jumbo Loan (editorial - Christian Science Monitor)
• How to Save Social Security: Raise the Retirement Age
• Art Linkletter's Cause: Social Security (blog)
• Work Options for Older Americans: Employee Benefits for the Era of Living Longer
• Tone Deaf on Pensions in New York (editorial - Newsday)
• Michigan's Pension Funds to Invest $300 Million in State's Most Promising Companies
• Red Bank, New Jersey Council Questioned on Its Health Benefits
• Jefferson County, Alabama Will Default on Debt, But Has Plan (with video)
• Jefferson County Shouldn't Rush Through a Sewer Bailout Plan (editorial - Birmingham News)

July 31, 2008

• If You Have to Pay, You Should Get a Say (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Text of Comments Made to the Orange County Board of Supervisors by OCTax President Reed Royalty
• Ventura, California Firefighters May Get Expensive 3-At-55 Pension Upgrade
• San Bernardino, California Police Reject Pay, Benefit Concessions to Help Plug City's $4 Million Budget Deficit
• California's Younger State Workers Not as Impressed by Pensions, Benefits
• California Attorney General Says CalSTRS Should Stay Out of Tobacco Investments (blog)
• What if Hermosa Beach, California Went Bankrupt?
• Some Oregon State Retirees Continue to Get 100% of Working Pay as Pensions (blog)
• Moultrie County, Georgia Wrestles With $900,000 Pension Deficit
• Boston Bodybuilding Firefighter's Disability Pension Claim Still Pending
• New York State Deficit Could Benefit From Taxing Public Employee Pensions (letter)
• State and Local Governments Are Employing Tough Tactics to Counter Health Insurance Cost Hikes
• Jefferson County, Alabama Seeks a Special Legislarive Session to Consider a Restructuring Plan
• GM Set to Offer Pension to Younger Workers in Effort to Reduce Workforce
• Colleges Hurt as Carmakers Cut Employee Tuition Reimbursements
• Unions, Airlines at Odds Over Delta-Northwest Merger's Effect on Pensions

July 30, 2008

• Public Employee Pension Hike Issue to Go on Orange County, California's November Ballot
• Orange County Supervisors OK Ballot Measure for Voter-Approved Pension Hikes
• Text of Comments Made to the Orange County Board of Supervisors by FACT President Jack Dean
• San Diego/City: City Attorney Announces Settlement in Pension Fund Lawsuit
• San Diego/City: City Attorney Nets Another Pension-Related Settlement for $2.8 Million
• Vallejo, California's City Manager Not a Resident; Breaks Contract Requirement
• Pensions and Benefits Are Factors in New York City, State Budget Crises
• Boynton, Florida Commissioners Award Themselves Retroactive Pensions
• Essex County, Massachusetts Pension Board Seeks COLA for Retirees
• Boeing Seeks to Close Defined Benefit Pension Plan to New Union Employees
• Lawsuit Alleges Whirlpool's Right to Alter Maytag Retirees' Health Benefits
• PBGC Assumes Responsibility for $28.2 Million of Bankrupt Hospitals' Pension Plans

July 29, 2008

• Give Orange County Voters a Say on Public Employee Pensions (op-ed)
• California's Cities, Firefighters and Police Ignore Vallejo's Plight at Their Peril (column)
• Assessor for San Bernardino County, California May File for $87,000/year Disability Pension
• San Diego/City: Council Affirms Pension Overhaul Deal With Unions
• Georgia Officials, Learn From Atlanta's Pension-Fund Debacle (column)
• Boston Firefighter Files Vanish as FBI Looks Into Disability Pension Claims
• Massachusetts Must Reform Its Pension System (editorial - Springfield Republican)
• Austin, Texas Cops and Firefighters Must Not Get Keys to the Vault This Time (editorial - American-Statesman)
• Texas Retirement System Hires Legal Counsel With No Previous Pension Experience
• SEC, Labor Department to Sign Agreement Strengthening Collaboration on Pension Plans
• Plundering Social Security No Way to Fund Bloated Government Excess (op-ed)
• New Brunswick, Canada Defends Hefty Pay Hikes for Public Employees

July 28, 2008

• The Vallejo Debacle: Longtime Tax Activist Proposes 6-Step Solution for California Cities and Counties in Imminent Financial Danger
• READ THE PROPOSAL: The Vallejo Debacle: A Fiscal Crisis Solution for California Cities (pdf)
• Ballot Initiative to Require a Vote on Orange County Pensions Is a Red Herring, Says Union Boss (op-ed)
• Stop Golden-Parachute Pensions for Massachusetts' Public Employees (editorial - Boston Globe)
• Massachusetts' Public Employees Have to Be a Large Part of the Solution (column)
• San Diego/City: Police Officer Whose Canine Companion Died of Heatstroke Had Just Received a Pension Spike for Dog's Care (blog)
• San Diego/City: Council to Rule on Paying Ex-City Manager's Legal Costs in SEC Pension-Related Fraud Case
• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Claims Consultant Advised on DROP Pension Plan That Has Cost It $900 Million
• Now It's Long Island, New York's Fire Districts That Are Giving Private Lawyers Public Paychecks and Pensions
• Suing Local Governments to Obtain Public Records Is Worth the Financial Risk (column)
• Public Pensions Beat the Market (column)
• Alabama Pension Fund Willing to Buy $3.2 Billion Debt-Laden Jefferson County Sewer System
• Alabama State Pension Fund Could Bail Out Jefferson County -- If It Files for Bankruptcy (with video)
• Three Jefferson County Commissioners Denounce Pension Fund's Offer
• Another Take From Jefferson County
• GM Retirees Losing Health Coverage Look for Affordable Alternatives
• Pension Solution for Saint John, New Brunswick's $31 Million Shortfall Must Protect Taxpayers

July 27, 2008

• Atlanta, Georgia's Politicians Made Key Decisions That Helped Create Its $1.2 Billion Pension Liability
• Alabama's Public Employee Benefit Costs Are 'Simply Unmanageable' (editorial - Press-Register)
• Radio Interview With Author of Bill to Open CalPERS to Private Sector Workers
• Bad News About Big Dig Cost Overruns and Outrageous Pensions Spurs Income Tax Repeal Effort in Massachusetts (op-ed)
• Washington Newspaper Puts State's Employee and Teacher Pay Online
• ONLINE DATABASE: Public Employee Salaries in Washington State
• Pennsylvania State Pension Funds Lose Value

July 26, 2008

• California's Bankruptcy Hearing: Judge Says It's Too Early to Name Retirees' Counsel
• Pacific Grove, California to Put Retirement Plans on Ballot
• Kentucky Lawmakers Who Switch Jobs Get Pension Boost
• Massachusetts Transit Worker Rakes in $193,000
• S&P 500 Companies' Pensions Plunge by $170 Billion, Says Report

July 25, 2008

• Judge Hears Opening Arguments in Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy Dispute
• Is Vallejo Really Broke? Its Unions Want to Know
• Residents of Pacific Grove, California to Vote on Whether to Stay in CalPERS
• Newspaper's New Blog to Focus on California State Employees' Pay, Pensions, Benefits
• Special Pensions Cost Massachusetts Over $100 Million
• Rhode Island Public Employee Unions Refuse to Pay More for Health Care, Throwing State Budget Into Disarray
• Maryland Public Employees' Pension Fund Loses 5.4%
• Yes, There Will Be Armageddon: Government Goes Bankrupt at Every Level (blog)
• In Tough Times, Grass Begins to Look Greener on the Public Sector Side of the Fence (column)
• Insurer Collapse Means Buying Municipal Bonds in the Raw (column)
• Companies That Eliminate Perks Risk Employee Backlash
• CalPERS Opposes Speculation Bill
• Provisions Removed From House Bill Barring Pension Funds From Investing in Commodities
• Pension Plans Stay Bullish on Hedge Funds (column)
• What a Squirrel Taught Me About Pension Plan Investments in Hedge Funds (column)
• American Academy of Actuaries to Issue Statement on Social Security
• Senate Asks 9 Insurers to Furnish Information Regarding Social Security Disability Claims
• CELEBRITIES: Mick Jagger Hits Pension Age

July 24, 2008

• Judge Hears Opening Statements in Vallejo, California Bankruptcy Case
• San Diego/City: Pension Reform Deal Actually Happens
• San Diego/City: Radio Interview Regarding Pension Reform Compromise Between City and Unions
• Lawyer Defends Disability Pension Claim by Boston Bodybuilding Firefighter
• Rutherford County, Tennessee Retirees to Address Cuts in Health Coverage
• New York Health Care Task Force Bill Lacks Fairness to Taxpayers (letter)
• Federal Legislation Would Bar Pension Funds From Investing in Agricultural and Energy Commodities
• US Chamber of Commerce Study Refutes Value of Union Pension Activism (release)

July 23, 2008

• San Diego/City: Unions Reach Pension Agreement With City, Avoid Ballot Measure
• Why Is Government So Expensive? (blog)
• Menlo Park, California Pays $1.48 Million for Police Overtime, Faces Growing Pension Costs
• Provo, Utah Votes to Keep Benefits for Employees by Halting New Hires
• Sunbury, Pennsylvania Looks at Funding OPEBs to Comply Wuth GASB 45
• New York Bill Gives Public Employees Paid Half Day for Prostate, Breast Cancer Screenings
• About Half of Defined-Benefit Pension Sponsors Have Frozen Plans, Says GAO Report

July 22, 2008

• Economy, Bankruptcy Hobble Vallejo, California
• Pension Funding Is a 'Top Risk' to the Global Economy, Says Panel
• San Diego/City: Calculating the Combined Value of San Diego's TWO Pension Plans (blog - PensionWatch)
• No Account New Jersey Politicians and Gasb 45 (blog)
• Pittsburgh Pension Math: What's the City's Real Unfunded Liability? (blog)
• Florida Governor Irked at Double-Dippers Collecting Salary Plus Pension
• Do Illinois' Legislators Double-Dip for Pay? (letter)
• Illinois Pension Systems Reduce Investments in Stock Market
• El Dorado, Kansas Developing New Gasb 45 Regulations for Recording Employee Benefits
• Boston Doctor Defends Diagnosing Bodybuilding Firefighter as 'Disabled'
• Boston Mayor Seeks Records on Firefighters' Physicians Looking for Suspicious Trends
• New York City's Pension Funds Call on Other Funds to Invest in Affordable Housing
• Jefferson County, Alabama Readies Plan to Restructure $3.2 Billion Sewer Debt
• Detailed List of Benefits for New Jersey's Lawmakers
• Details of Ford Motor Co. Buyout Offers
• Key Changes in Retiree Health Benefits at GM
• Social Security Unveils New Online Benefits Calculator

July 21, 2008

• Orange County Supervisor's Pension Reform Could Have Wide Benefit in California (editorial - Press-Telegram)
• Investments of California's Two Big Pension Funds Lose Ground
• Bear Market Bites CalPERS and CalSTRS Pension Funds (blog)
• Tough Year for US Public Pension Funds
• Los Angeles Pension Boards Invest Millions in Real Estate Companies That Rely on City Funds and Planning Choices
• San Diego/City: Defined Benefit Pension Plans Work -- If Designed Properly and Politics Are Kept Out (column)
• Management Salaries Are Drowning San Francisco (blog)
• Chico, California May Provide More Transparency During Negotiations Over Employees' Pay and Benefits
• Many Officials in Vallejo, California Will Feel the Pain of Bankruptcy in Their Pocketbooks
• 'Interim' Is Often Part of the Job in Vallejo
• Gaming the Pension System Is a Widespread Problem in Massachusetts (editorial - Telegram & Gazette)
• Are Massachusetts' Taxpayers Angry Enough to Fight Back? (column)
• Massachusetts Taxpayers Shouldn't Carry Big Dig Debt (editorial - Gloucester Times)
• Boston's 'Disabled' Bodybuilding Firefighter Is Ordered Back to Work (with video)
• Double-Checking on Double-Dipping in Massachusetts (column)
• Minnesota Newspaper Puts Public Employees' Pay Data Online
• ONLINE DATABASE: Public Employee Salaries in Minnesota
• Switch in New York Attorney General's Pension Probe Stirs Debate
• St. Petersburg, Florida Eliminates Retirement Health Benefits for Future Public Employees
• Taxpayers in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana Are on the Hook for $1.2 Million in Unused Vacation Pay
• Advisers Urge Jefferson County, Alabama Property Tax Boost to Deal With $2.3 Billion Debt
• Dutch Government Considers Raising Pension Age to 70
• Bolivia Seeks to Nationalize Pension Funds

July 19, 2008

• Bear Market Bites CalPERS and CalSTRS Pension Funds
• CalPERS Posts 2.4% Loss, Worst Performance in Six Years

July 18, 2008

• State Governments Are Cracking Down on 'Double Dipping'
• San Diego/City: Pension Reform Plan Must Advance to the Ballot (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/City: A Fair Pension Reform Proposal (op-ed)
• San Diego/City: The Employee Union's View on the Pension Reform Impasse
• San Diego/City: Defined Drawbacks (blog)
• State and Local Governments' Pension Liabilities -- A Crisis in Slow Motion (blog)
• Evanston, Illinois Blue Ribbon Panel Says Spending Cuts Are a Must to Deal With $145 Million Pension Liability
• Evanston, Illinois Panel Says Pension Bonds Are Not Worth the Risk
• Chicago Transit Authority Gets OK to Sell $2 Billion in Bonds for Pension Plan and Health Care Trust
• Colquitt County, Georgia Considers Pension Oversight Board to Deal With $8.9 Million Fund Deficit
• Seiu Exaggerates Private Equity Advantages (op-Ed)
• Starbucks Serves Needed Benefits (column)
• McCain Receives Social Security Pension Benefits, Says System Needs Repair
• New Bill Would Fund Social Security by Taxing Internet Gambling
• July 16 Was 'Cost of Government Day' (editorial - Orange County Register)

July 17, 2008

• CalSTRS Announces 3.7% Loss for Fiscal Year Just Ended
• Will GM Survive With Luxurious Union Pensions and Generous Medical Care? (editorial - Investor's Business Daily)
• Vallejo Opposes Unions' Bid to Speak on Retirees' Behalf
• San Diego/City: Irked Union Leader Predicts Voter Passage of Mayor's Pension Reform Plan
• CalPERS Tells San Luis Obispo Woman It Overpaid Her Pension, Asks for Money Back
• For New York State Senator, Pension Is Better Than Salary
• Rye, New York Votes to Eliminate Part-Time Employee Health Benefits
• The Need for Independent Performance and Operational Audits of Public Pension Funds (blog)
• Dutch Pension Funds in Trouble

July 16, 2008

• Supervisor in Orange County, California Will Seek Voter Approval on Public Employee Pension Limits (blog)
• Pension Hikes for Orange County Workers Should Get Voters' OK, Supervisor Says
• Give Orange County Taxpayers a Say on Public Employee Pension Boosts (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Orange County Unions Whine at Pro-Taxpayer Pension Proposal by Supervisor (blog)
• San Diego/Schools: Retire, Take a Year Off, and Avoid Pay Limits Upon Returning
• Riverside County, California's Public Employees Protest New Rules Limiting Overtime Pay
• Minnesota's Counties Chafe at State Salary Cap
• New Jersey State Employees' Pension Fund Lost 3.1% in Past Fiscal Year
• New Jersey Taxpayers on the Hook for Pension Fund's 3.1% Loss (blog)
• Increased Employee Pension Costs Strain Freehold Township, New Jersey
• Why Jefferson County, Alabama Has to Declare Bankruptcy (column)
• GM's Plan to End Health Coverage for Many 65 and Over Signals a New Era
• SEIU's Underfunded Pensions (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• Social Security Has 761,000 Disability Claimants Waiting for Hearings

July 15, 2008

• California's Cities, Firefighters and Police Ignore Vallejo's Plight at Their Peril (column)
• CalSTRS Forecasts Loss of Up to 4.5%
• San Diego/Schools: Paid to Leave, and Paid to Come Back -- A New Twist on Double Dipping
• Boston Mayor Urges Disability Pension Denial for Firefighter Who Placed 8th in Bodybuilding Contest
• VIDEO: 'Disabled' Boston Firefighter Competing in a Bodybuilding Contest
• Public Pension Plans -- Including CalPERS -- Toast a Belgian-Run Anheuser-Busch
• Most Middle-Class Private Sector Retirees Will Outlive Their Savings, Says Study
• More Workers Waiting Longer to Claim Social Security
• SPORTS: When Baseball Had Two Annual All-Star Games to Fund Player Pensions

July 14, 2008

• Public Safety Retiree Benefits Are Draining Broward County, Florida Dry
• Delray Beach, Florida Considers Reducing Police and Fire Pension Contributions Despite $40 Million Unfunded Liability
• Boynton Beach, Florida Commissioners May Vote to Give Themselves Pensions
• Leesburg, Florida Council to Vote on Freezing City Employees' Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• Despite Increasing Costs, Washington State's Taxpayers Willl Continue to Pick Up 88% of Employees' Health Insurance Tab
• Mehlville, Missouri Fire District Voters May Get to Vote on Two Tax-Decrease Measures (yes, that's DECREASE)
• The Boston Fire Department's Culture Problem (op-ed)
• Minnesota State Workers' Pay Hits a Ceiling
• Online Salary Database for 52,000 Minnesota State, County and City Employees
• Why the Pioneer Press Is Publishing Minnesota State Workers' Salaries
• Analysts Say More Banks Will Fail
• Government as the Big Lender (analysis)

July 13, 2008

• Live Oak, California City Council Slammed by Grand Jury for Pension Formula Increase
• Arbitrator Says San Luis Obispo, California Must Boost Police Pay 30-37%
• Police Greed: Getting Paid for Getting Dressed (column)
• Jefferson County, Alabama and Vallejo, California Are East/West 'Bad Eggs' (column)
• Three Unions Hope to Speak Up on Behalf of Vallejo's Retirees
• Rutherford County, Tennessee May Cut Benefits to Deal With $390 Million OPEB Liability
• Kentucky's Pension Changes Still Leave Uncertain Future for Government Workers
• VIDEO: Interview on Local Government Pension Reform in Kentucky
• Warning of a 'Fiscal Meltdown,' Massachusetts Taxpayer Group Urges Veto of $1.1 Billion Pension COLA
• US Rep. John Olver (D-Massachusetts): What a (Double) Dip (column)
• A First Step for Pension Reform in New Jersey (op-ed)
• 401(k) Plans: You're on Autopilot, But Check the Speedometer
• Freddie Mac Collapse Would Dump an Additional $5 Trillion in Debt Onto America's Taxpayers
• Bear Stearns Buyout Could Cost Taxpayers

July 11, 2008

• The Golden State's Not-So-Golden Goose
• GASB Looks at Changes to Accounting Rules for Government Pension Plans
• US Weighs Takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; Massive Taxpayer Bailout Possible
• House Agriculture Committee Chairman Criticizes Pension Funds Investing in Commodities
• SEIU's Rank-And-File Pension Plan Underfunded
• Pension Reform Bill's Impact Will Be Modest in Central New Jersey

July 10, 2008

• General Motors' Pension Lessons for States, Cities and Their Taxpayers (op-ed)
• Contra Costa County's Decision to Make Salaries Public Upsets Employees' Union
• Contra Costa County's Decision to Make Salaries Public Upsets Employees' Union (KCBS Radio podcast - MP3)
• Stockton, California Must Boost Its Reserves to Heal Its Economic Ills (editorial - Record)
• San Bernardino County, California Provides Thousands of Dollars to Employees for Tuition
• New York Watchdog Group Urges Governor to Veto Public Employee 'Pension Sweetener' Bills
• All-Time-Low Stock Prices for General Motors Hits Home for Investors, Pensioners

July 9, 2008

• Total Public Employee Pay Should Be Disclosed, Including Benefits (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• San Diego/City: Pension Reform Proposal Would Require Patience
• Santa Clara Valley Water Board Extends Contract of Double-Dipping CEO Who'll Make $432,000 This Year
• The Commodities Market: a Bad Place for Pension Funds . . . and Pensioners (column)
• Pension Funds and Other Large Investors Fight Speculation Charges
• Setting the Stage for OPEB Bonds: A Silver Lining to a 'Perfect Storm' (column)
• Pension Benefits and the Illinois State Budget (letter)
• Nassau County, New York to Increase Employee Benefits Vesting Time to 10 Years
• Public Library Workers in Hartford, Connecticut Vote to Give Up Pay Gains to Avoid Layoffs
• Former Massachusetts Legislator Loses Bid to Boost Pension
• Doctors Are Bailing Out of Medicare and Medicaid Due to 10.6% Cut in Reimbursements
• Major Party Candidates Mccain and Obama Diverge on How to Save Social Security
• Social Security: Finding Fixes for the Flood of Retirees That Has Begun (op-ed)

July 8, 2008

• Largest US Corporate Pension Funds Suffer Huge Losses, Says Report
• San Diego/city: Employees' Pension Fund Dives Into Private Equity Investing
• California Water District CEO's Double Dipping Adds Up to $432,000/year
• Fired Oakland, California City Manager to Get $148,000 Annual Pension Plus $90,000 in Unused Benefits
• Stockton, California's Credit Rating Downgraded by Moody'S
• Texas Attorney General Says School Districts Should Make $100 Million/year Teacher Pension Contributions
• 87 Retirees Accused of Stealing $1 Million From New York City's Pension System by Double Dipping
• Meriden, Connecticut Firefighter OK'd to Purchase Early Pension

July 7, 2008

• While Services Are Being Slashed, Public Payrolls Surge in California's Sonoma County and Its Cities
• Unions Say Selling City Property Could Stave Off Vallejo's Bankruptcy, But City Officials Disagree
• Don't Allow Vallejo Bankruptcy Trend to Spread to Minnesota and North Dakota (editorial - Grand Forks Herald)
• Aging Inmates Strain California's Prison System, Cost Taxpayers 2-3 Times More Than Younger Prisoners
• Idaho Pension Fund Ends Fiscal Year Down by -4.2%
• Pension Funds Should Not Expect 8% Annual Returns for Forseeable Future, Says Panel
• The Silver Lining to the Oil-Price Boom Is the Investment Returns of Public Pension Funds, Including CalPERS
• Hollywood, Florida Wants to Re-Negotiate Pension, Benefits Package With Unions
• Texas Pension Board Chair Wrongly Ousted (editorial - Dallas Morning News)
• Real Pension Reform in Kentucky (op-ed)
• New Jersey's Battle Over Pensions and Benefits May Get Bigger
• Can Reforms to New Jersey's Public Employee Pensions and Benefits Garner Union Approval?
• Pay, Benefits 'Poison Pill' Threatens Consolidation of New Jersey School Districts (column)
• Is a New Accounting Rule -- FAS 157 -- Partly to Blame for Country's Wobbly Financial System?
• New Union-Backed Group to Spend $40 Million on Ad Campaign Promoting 'Affordable' Health Care
• Longevity Could Increase 20% Beyond Current Forecasts, Says UK Expert
• Private Employer Pension Coverage in Canada Continues to Decline

July 4, 2008

• CELEBRATING THE FOURTH: Between the Lines of the Declaration of Independence (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Celebrating the One-Year Anniversary of FACT's Court Victory Against California Pension Bonds (blog - PensionWatch)
• Public Employee Pensions and Benefits Put Atherton, California $2.7 Million in the Red
• Will AB32 Provide the Revenue to Fund California's Public Employee Pensions and Benefits? (editorial - EcoWorld)
• Former Mayor of Leesburg, Florida Threatens to Sue City to Keep Free Health Insurance (column)
• Japan's Public Pension Fund Investments See 5 Trillion Yen Loss in FY2007

July 3, 2008

• The Other Real Estate Disaster: Your State's Employee Pension Fund
• A Code of Silence Among State Pension Fund Officials
• CalPERS to Collect in Stock-Option Settlement
• CalPERS Will Share in $895-Million Class Action Suit Settlement Against UnitedHealth Group
• Vallejo, California Bankruptcy on Fast Track
• Improvements Made, but Still Work to Be Done on Kentucky's Public Employee Pension System (op-ed)
• New Hampshire's Pension Reform Unfinished (editorial - Union Leader)
• Proposed Change in Governance of North Carolina's Pension Fund Is Unwise (op-ed)
• San Luis Obispo, California Will Pay Police for 'Donning and Doffing' Uniforms
• Freehold, New Jersey Budget Increases Due to Pensions, Benefits and Police Pay
• Carbondale, Illinois Retirees Not Affected by $4 Billion Deficit Statewide in Municipal Pension Funds, Say City Officials
• US Senators Seek Probe of PBGC Benefit Calculations
• In UK, Gold-Plated Public Sector Pensions Rise as Private Pensions Disappear

July 2, 2008

• Rising Costs for Food, Energy Hit Retirees in Private Sector Especially Hard
• VIDEO: Rethinking Retirement: Inflation Hits Retirees (ABC News)
• Pay, Job Security, Pensions and Benefits Make Public Sector Employment Attractive in Uneasy Economy
• Rhode Island Budget Imposes New Pension Eligibility Rules and Cuts on Judges and State Police
• Con Ed, Union Reach Deal That Will Keep Defined-Benefit Pension Plan (with video)
• Don't Freeze New York's Public Retiree Health Benefits (editorial - Newsday)
• New Jersey Teachers Union Pickets Local Legislative Offices Over Pension Reform Bills
• Kentucky Governor Touts Just-Passed Pension Reform Plan in Bowling Green

July 1, 2008

• For Many Private Sector Retirees, Golden Years Mean Less Travel, More Work
• Financial Hardship Postpones Retirement for Baby Boomers in the Private Sector
• VIDEO: The Sour Economy Has Made Retirement More Elusive Than Ever for Many Americans (ABC News)
• New Hampshire Governor Signs Pension System Reform Bill
• Vermont State Employees' Pension Changes Kick in Today
• Bill Providing 8 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave for Federal Employees Is an Affront to Taxpayers (editorial - Daily Herald)
• Abuse Shows Wisconsin State Workers' Overtime Policy Needs Overhaul (editorial - Leader-Telegram)
• Muncie, Indiana Considers Cuts; Public Safety Spending Approaching 80% of Budget
• Community College Pension Deal Attacked in Maricopa County, Arizona (with video)
• Leesburg, Florida Commissioners Postpone Vote on Retirement-Plan Changes
• Union Fears the Loss of High Pay and Solid Benefits, Once Virtual Givens at New York's Con Ed
• UK Blue-Chip Company Pension Funds Slip Back Into the Red

June 30, 2008

• City and County of Napa, California Risk Bankruptcy Unless Pensions, Benefits Reduced, Says Grand Jury
• Read or Download the Napa County Grand Jury Report (pdf)
• Some California State Workers Rake in 6-Figure Overtime Checks
• Newspaper Investigates the Pay and Perks of Kern County, California's 45 School Superintendents
• Kern County, California School Trustees' Pay and Benefits Totals Roughly $2.4 Million/Year
• Public Employee Pensions in New Jersey May Not Be Protected in Bankruptcy (blog)
• Yes, a Public Pension in New Jersey Can Be Forfeited (blog)
• Lots of Drama, Little Pension Reform in New Jersey (column)
• Kentucky Governor Signs Pension Reform Bill to Start Addressing $26 Billion Unfunded Liability
• Still a Long Way to Go to Fix Kentucky's $27 Billion Pension Crisis (column)
• Police in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona Seek Pay for Putting Uniform On, Taking It Off
• Phoenix and Mesa Police Unions Put Their Wallets Ahead of Public Safety (column)
• It's Good to See Some Florida Cities Scrapping Costly Pension Systems (editorial - Orlando Sentinel)
• Prince George's County, Maryland Wants to Trim Pay to Deal With $46 Million Budget Shortfall
• Uneasy Quiet on the Labor Front as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Union Contracts Expire (editorial - Inquirer)
• Greenville, South Carolina Retirees Miffed as Health Benefits Dwindle
• Huntington, West Virginia Deputy Fire Chief Retires to Protect Health Benefits
• Commodities: the Tipping Point? (column)
• Anheuser-Busch Internal Memo Details Reductions in Staff Pensions and Benefits
• Inflation Soon Could Mean a Fatter Social Security Benefit
• Blunders in Record Keeping May Affect Up to 6 Million Japanese Pensions
• Chinese National Pension Fund's Investment Gains Increase Sixfold

June 28, 2008

• Kentucky Pension Reform Bill Signed Into Law by Governor
• New Jersey Passes Budget That Makes Cuts But Leaves Pension 'Pink Elephant'
• Vallejo, California City Employees File Objection to Bankruptcy Petition
• Vallejo's Employees Ask Judge to Reject the City's Bankruptcy Petition
• Tentative Agreement Reached Between San Bernardino County and Employees Union
• Nearly 100 Massachusetts School System Retirees 'Double Dip' and Collect $5.5 Million in Pension Payments
• Weymouth, Massachusetts' Former Mayor Will Get Lower Pension
• The Public Employees Never Suffer (column)
• Nevada's Public Employee Pensions Will Be Presenting Taxpayers With a Multibillion-Dollar Bill (column)
• Oklahoma State Employees Seek 4-Day Work Week
• Who Are Those Oil Speculators, Anyway? Maybe You, Through Your Pension Fund
• New Study Says Defined Contribution Plans Are Growing and Changing Fast

June 27, 2008

• Vallejo, California Okays City Budget Which Calls for Breaking Public Employee Union Labor Contracts
• Challenges to Vallejo's Bankruptcy Due by Noon Today
• When Will Vallejo's Union Bosses Finally Accept Reality? (letter)
• Kentucky Pension Reform Legislation Expected to Pass in State Senate Today and Go to Governor
• Kentucky's Pension Controversy Will Outlive Reform Session (blog)
• Detroit, Michigan's Police, Firefighting Retirees Sue to Stop Use of Pension Funds to Shore Up City's Budget
• Former Workers at Secret Area 51 Gain Health Benefits From Energy Department

June 26, 2008

• San Diego/city: Pension Reform Compromise May Be on November Ballot
• San Diego/city: Proposed Pension Reform Would Save City $22.5 Million Annually, According to Estimates
• San Diego/city: Compromise Announced on Pension Reform Would Be Major Progress (blog - PensionWatch)
• San Diego/city: 140% City Pensions Are Outrageous (blog - PensionWatch)
• New York City Pension Funds Lose Billions; Taxpayers Could Be on the Hook
• New York Board Revamps Rules for Re-Hiring Retired School Superintendents to Reduce Pension 'Double Dipping'
• Hartford, Connecticut Retirees Protest Changes to Health Benefits
• Kentucky House Okays Pension Reform Bill 98-0
• The Big 'If' in Kentucky's Pension Reform: Future Funding Gambles on Political Will
• New Jersey to Use Tax Windfall to Pay Down $650 Million of State's Huge Debt
• Governor Should Back New Jersey Pension Changes (editorial - Courier-Post)
• New Jersey Teachers Union Pickets Local Legislative Offices of Pension Reformers
• Delaware Budget Bill Includes Pension Secrecy Provision

June 25, 2008

• Fired Orange County, California Pension Board Member Accuses Board of Supervisors of Playing Politics
• San Diego/city: Mayor, Unions Clash Over Pension Reforms (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Police in San Luis Obispo, California Win 22-27% Pay Increases in Binding Arbitration Ruling
• Union Rallies to Protest Cuts to Health, Retiree Benefits in Sonoma County, California
• Union Pickets Sen Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Over Proposed Cuts to Employee Retirement Benefits
• Possibility of Mediation Raised in San Bernardino County Labor Talks
• Constitutional Amendment Introduced for Shared Governance on University of California Pension Board
• Tiptoeing Around Those Unsustainable Pensions in Oak Park, Illinois (editorial - Wednesday Journal)
• Kentucky House to Vote on Pension Reform Bill Today to Deal With $27 Billion Funding Shortfall
• Texas Governor Ousts Head of Pension Review Board
• Failed Lawsuit Could Cost Texas Pension Fund $1 Million
• Philadelphia City Council Weighs Options for Investing Pension Bond 'Savings'
• North Carolina State Workers Rally for Higher Pay Raises, Collective Bargaining
• Vineland, New Jersey Council Delays Vote to Change City Employee Health Benefits Amid 'An Uproar'
• Pension Fund Managers Deflect Blame for Oil Price Surge
• HR 980 Would Regulate Labor Relations at Both State and Local Levels (column)
• RELATED NEWS: Fuel Costs Pinch Cities' Budgets; Mayors Push Mass Transit
• Boeing Hopes New Pension Plan Will Ease $46 Billion Liability

June 24, 2008

• Public Sector's Early Retirement Ages Are Unsustainable (column)
• Public Pension Funds Fight Against Accounting Changes Proposed by GASB
• State and City Layoffs Nationwide at 45,000 and Counting, Says AFSCME
• Bankrupt Vallejo, California Wants to Void All Four of Its Employee Labor Contracts
• Out-Of-Hand Overtime in Orange County, California (editorial - Press-Telegram)
• After Hours-Long Drama, New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Pension Reform Bill
• New Jersey Pension Changes Win Approval in Legislature Despite Fierce Union Opposition
• Public Pension Reform Measure Passes Both Houses of New York Legislature Unanimously
• Kentucky's Special Legislative Session Starts Smoothly; Governor Praises Pension Reform Effort
• Townsend, Massachusetts Official Says Pension COLA Is a Burden Most Towns Cannot Afford
• Moreno Valley, California City Council Expected to Weigh Pay Increase for Itself
• Government Accountability Office Looks at Department of Energy Pension, Retirement Benefits
• North Dakota Public Employees Say They Face a Salary and Benefit Squeeze
• Supreme Court to Rule on Pension Credit for Old Maternity Leaves

June 23, 2008

• San Bernardino, California Looks at Cutting Services, Employees and Benefits to Balance Budget
• Keep Public Records Public (column)
• Public Pension Funds Undergo More Scrutiny
• Kentucky Legislature's Special Session for Pension Reform Bill Opens Today
• Changes to Kentucky's Pension System Only Item on Special Session's Agenda
• Teachers' Unions Influence Kentucky's Pension Reform Plans
• New York Legislators, Governor Agree on Pension Reform Package
• Costly Fringe Benefits for Public Employees Mean Less Services for Michigan's Taxpayers (editorial - Detroit News)
• Study Shows Public Sector Workers in Nevada Earn 28% More Than Private Sector Workers
• Washington State Must Increase Public Employee Pension Funding to Adjust for Increased Longevity
• Leesburg, Florida Considers Changing Pension Plan From Defined-Benefit to Defined-Contribution to Solve Budget Crunch
• Oklahoma's Pension Rules Need Some Work (editorial - Oklahoman)

June 22, 2008

• Increased Pension Benefits Causing Backlash Against Police and Firefighters in California (editorial)
• Chicago's Future City Employees Could Lose Out on Lush Pension Plan
• Years of Risky Gambles Put New Jersey in $25 Billion Pension Bind
• New Jersey Educators Rally Against Pension Reform Bill
• Union Pressure Fails, for Once, to Kill New Jersey Pension Reform Bill
• New Jersey Teachers Protest State Pension Reform Plans
• Austin, Texas Police Spending Went Up 84% Per Capita Over Nine Years, Report Says
• Huntington, West Virginia Council Right to Hold Line on Public Employee Insurance Costs (editorial - Herald-Dispatch)
• Continental Airlines, Shedding Jobs, Offers Health Benefits to Workers Who Leave
• Retirement Saving for All Californians Would Be Made Available With CalPERS Via AB2940 (op-ed)
• 8 Reasons You Should Not Expect an Inheritance
• Congress Wants Taxpayers to Dive Into the Subprime Market (editorial - Wall Street Journal)

June 20, 2008

• The Public Employee Pension COLA Conundrum (column)
• CalPERS Health Insurance Premiums Rise by Up to 8 Percent
• CalPERS Should Not Invest in Iraq War, Say 20,000 Petition Signers
• Rising Commodity Prices Bring a Windfall to CalPERS
• Congressional Committee to Consider Banning Pension Funds From Commodities Markets
• CalPERS Monitoring Proposal to Limit Pension Funds' Involvement in Commodities
• Mortgage Market's Other Pitfall Asserts Itself
• Workers Are Sleepwalking Towards an Impoverished Old Age
• German Chancellor Rejects Calls to Preserve Early Retirement

June 19, 2008

• Vallejo, California Asks Bankruptcy Judge for Permission to Reject Labor Contracts
• Compensation Costs Are 51% Higher for Employers in Public Sector Than for Employers in Private Sector, EBRI Study Reports
• Read or Download the EBRI Study (pdf)
• CalPERS Committee Approves Bump in Medical Premiums for Current and Retired State Workers
• CalPERS Meeting to Be Picketed Today by Anti-War Activists Over Investment in Halliburton Subsidiary KBR
• Sonoma County, California Creates Trust Fund for Retirees' Health Benefits
• Some Public Pension Funds Feel Pinch of Market Turmoil
• Have Public Pension Funds Perversely Spurred Inflation? (column)
• Municipal Bond Market Becoming Perilous in California
• Watson Wyatt Study Says Defined-Benefit Pensions Outperform 401(k)s
• South Carolina Puts Pensions on the Path to Solvency (editorial - Greenville News)
• Toms River, New Jersey Property Owners Face Tax Rate Hike to Compensate for Pension Costs
• Blunt Big Pension Spike for Pennsylvania by Acting Now (editorial - Times-Tribune)
• Pennsylvania's Future Pension Tab Cause for Concern (letter)
• Natick, Massachusetts Cites $3.6 Million Pension Fund Loss
• Obama Supports Status Quo for Social Security (column)

June 18, 2008

• Kentucky Governor Calls Special Session to Overhaul State's Public Employee Pension Systems
• CalPERS Board Member Faces Lawsuit in South Gate for Conspiring to Fix Garbage Contract
• Illinois Lawmakers Take No Action on Huge $44 Billion Public Employee Pension Debt
• Vallejo, California: Generous to a Fault
• Vallejo Officials Hope to Ignore Employee Raises in Order to Balance Budget
• Vallejo Bankruptcy Filing May Be the Tip of the Iceberg (column)
• Subprime Crisis Pushes California City of Vallejo Over the Edge
• CalPERS Supports Anti-Smoking Measures
• New Jersey Pension System Is an Albatross Around the State's Neck (column)
• Town Council of Chapel Hill, North Carolina Rescinds Vote on Its Own Health Care Benefits
• Unease at Annual Government Finance Officers Association Meeting (blog)
• Pension Funds Are Bigger Threat Than Foreign Wealth Funds (column)
• Tackle Social Security First (op-ed)
• Australian Pension Funds Poised to Record Biggest Losses in 20 Years

June 17, 2008

• California Taxpayers Can No Longer Afford Costly Public Employee Contracts (editorial - Press-Enterprise)
• Dysfunction Works Overtime at the Orange County Sheriff's Department (editorial - Orange County Register)
• California Bankruptcies Tarnish Muni Bonds (column)
• New Jersey Union Cries Should Fall on Deaf Ears (editorial - Princeton Packet)
• Huntington, West Virginia to Impose Health Fees on Employees (editorial - Charleston Daily Mail)
• Proposed Pension COLA Increases Have Massachusetts Town Officials Worried

June 16, 2008

• Overtime Policies Push 100 Sheriff's Officers Over $150,000/year in Orange County, California
• Actually, California's Legislators Don't Feel Your Pain (editorial - Orange County Register)
• San Diego/city: $4.35 Million Settlement in Pension Lawsuit
• Vallejo, California Nears Deal on Restructuring Variable-Rate Debt
• Vallejo, California's Community Groups Keep Fiscal Fireworks Under Control
• Vallejo Policeman Raps About City's Financial Troubles (with audio)
• Pensions Rise in South Florida, Putting Cities in Tough Spot
• New York Judge Orders Legislature to Increase Pay for State's Judiciary (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• New Jersey Senator Targets Political Appointee Pensions
• Naples, Florida Council Members Grant Themselves Health Retirement Benefits
• Kentucky Pension Reform Agreement Reached
• Kentucky Legislature Needs to Pass Pension Reform (editorial - Bowling Green Daily News)
• Oklahoma State Employees Say They Can't Make Ends Meet Without a Pay Raise
• Miami, Florida's Pension Talk Turns to Castro, Chavez
• Texas Cities, Schools Consider Opening Employee Health Clinics
• Comfortable Retirement a Fading Dream for Many in San Francisco Area
• How San Francisco Area Residents Are Coping With the New Retirement Realities
• The Delicate Issue of Divestiture (editorial - Investment News)
• We'Re Experiencing a Perot Moment (editorial - Los Angeles Times)
• Ross Perot Back on the Charts (column)
• Obama Is Wrong on Social Security (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)

June 13, 2008

• Double Dipping Public Employees Cost Florida Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions (with news video)
• California Is Still Hiring Despite $15 Billion Budget Shortfall
• CalSTRS Moves to Diversify Into Roads, Bridges, Power Lines
• Governor Helps California Highway Patrol in Blatant Corruption Cover-Up (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• State Senate Panel Passes Bills to Reform New Jersey's Public Employee Pensions and Benefits Despite Protests
• Gannett's Freeze Hints a Chill for More Pension Plans

June 12, 2008

• Increased Pension Liabilities Loom as States Try to Help Retired Public Employees With Cost of Living Increases
• Growing Value and Activism Bring New Scrutiny to Public Pension Funds
• New Mexico's Public Employee Pension, Benefit Funds Are Underfunded by Billions
• Nation's Largest Newspaper Publisher Gannett Freezes Pension Plan
• Rhode Island Taxpayers Get Break on Pension Costs This Year
• Ethics Reform, Including Pension Revocation, Passes Connecticut Legislature
• US Mortality Dropped Sharply in 2006, Latest Data Show
• Defined Benefit Plans Down, But Not Out, In UK

June 11, 2008

• Panel Votes to Freeze Pay for California's Elected Officials Instead of Cutting Salaries by 10%
• Former California Highway Patrol Deputy Chief Who Reported Pension Spiking Gets $1 Million Settlement
• CalPERS' Says $1 Billion Investment in Landsource Is 'Small'
• CalPERS May Sell Some of Its $2 Billion in Residential Land Holdings After 31% Decline
• Alameda, California Okays Plan for Community Financial Advisory Panel
• Package of Reforms in Bill Targets New Jersey Public Employee Pension Abuses
• Package of Long-Term Pension Reforms Is Key to Solving New Jersey's Fiscal Crisis, Says Legislator
• Now Is the Time to Reform New Jersey's Pensions (editorial - Atlantic City Press)
• New Jersey Pension Reforms Under Attack From Unions
• New Jersey Teachers Union Targets Pension-Reform Bills With Radio Ads
• Illinois' Local Pension Funds Should Receive Tuneup From Legislation
• Union Balks at Increase in Health Costs for Illinois' Employees, Business Groups Weighing In
• Stage Set for Special Pension Reform Legislative Session in Kentucky
• NPR Interview With Author Roger Lowenstein on Looming Pension Debts in America
• What's Next for Pension Funds in the Real Estate Fallout? (column)
• Public Sector Turns to Defined Contribution Market to Offset Retiree Benefit Costs
• Tracking the National Debt From May 12 Through June 9
• Federal Housing Administration Faces $4.6 Billion in Losses
• Europe's Biggest Bank Plans Pension Changes for 58,000 Staff

June 10, 2008

• CalPERS Caught Off Guard by Extent of Downturn
• Vallejo, California Blames Bankruptcy on Contracts With Unions
• It's Unknown How Landsource Bankruptcy Will Affect Vallejo
• What Next for Vallejo? Lots of People Have Suggestions
• Panel to Debate Pay Cuts for California Lawmakers, Top Officeholders Today
• Kentucky Lawmakers Close to Agreeing on Pension Deal, Special Session
• Pensiontsunami.com Provides Fodder for a New York Blogger
• Congressional Bickering Puts Pension Fixit Bill in Slow Lane
• Health Insurance Costs Hit Hard at Small Companies
• Anxiety Over Health Insurance Shapes Life Choices
• Surplus of Top 100 US Corporate Pension Plans Hits $111 Billion
• The Social Security Problem, and Why Caution Is Needed (column)

June 9, 2008

• Stop Secret Public Employee Contract Negotiations in California (column)
• Giant California Land Partnership Files for Chapter 11; CalPERS Is Main Investor
• LandSource Chapter 11 May Hit CalPERS
• Kentucky's $27 Billion Pension Problem Now 'Critical'
• Retired Police Chief of Winston-Salem, North Carolina Hired to Head College Force at $100,000 Salary (column)
• HR 980 Is a Huge Unfunded Mandate on Cities and Towns (editorial - Winston-Salem Journal)
• Fort Collins, Colorado Should Vote No on Collective Bargaining to Avoid Vallejo's Fate (column)
• Public Employee Pensions Are Unfair to Pennsylvania's Taxpayers (op-ed)
• Don't Blame Police for Allentown, Pennsylvania's Pension Deal (letter)
• Pension Funds and Infrastructure Investment (commentary)
• Another Chance at Pension Reform for New Jersey (editorial - Star-Ledger)
• Pull the Trigger on New Jersey's Pension and Benefits Bills (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• Don't Expand Michigan's Costly State Arbitration Rules (editorial - Detroit News)
• Detroit, Michigan's Pension Funds Move to Recoup $30 Million From Mayor's Backer
• Pension Restructuring Cuts Deep Into Steelworkers' Pockets (column)

June 6, 2008

• California's Proposition 13 Celebrates 30th Anniversary (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Riverside County, California's Temporary Public Employees Want Better Benefits
• New Jersey Lawmakers to Push for Reforms of Public Employee Pensions and Benefits
• Pennsylvania's Governor Outlines Plan to Address Impending 2012 Pension Crisis
• Springfield, Missouri Must Find Fix for Pension Fund to Move Ahead, Says Mayor
• Evanston, Illinois Pension Panel Waffles on Plan to Address $140 Million Deficit
• Many Teachers in Evanston, Illinois Qualify for 30% Pre-Retirement Pay Boost
• Imprisoned Former Ohio Congressman Traficant Has State Pension Tapped for Fine

June 5, 2008

• CalSTRS Wavers on Its Ban on Tobacco Investments
• Including Pension and Benefits, Jacksonville, Florida Police Are Paid Well
• New Hampshire Pension Reform Bill Passes; 'We Failed You Badly,' Says One Legislator
• Details of New Hampshire's Bill to Address $2.7 Billion Pension Shortfall
• Pennsylvania's Pension Fund Lost 4% in First Quarter of 2008
• Pennsylvania State Pension Fund Lost $1 Billion in Q1 (blog)
• Alabama's Pension Funds Post Losses So Far in Fiscal Year
• Corporate Pension Plans Say 'Thank You, Subprime' for Return to Overfunded Status
• Manitoba's Teachers Vote to Double Retirees' COLA

June 4, 2008

• San Bernardino County, California Facing $20 Million Shortfall as Cost of Pay and Benefits Increase
• Car Allowance Increases Orange County Supervisors' Pensions (editorial - Orange County Register)
• CalSTRS Rethinks Tobacco Taboo
• Public Sector Reform Needed (editorial - EcoWorld)
• States & Localities: Scrutinizing Public Pensions and Health Care Benefits (column)
• New Jersey's Taxpayers Cannot Afford to Foot the Bill for Unsustainable Benefits Packages (blog)
• 700 Retired Educators in New York Are Receiving $100,000+ Annually in Pensions
• Saginaw County, Michigan Considers Cutting Commissioners' Pay, Health Benefits to Help Balance Budget
• West Virginia Teachers Opt to Transfer to Traditional Taxpayer-Backed Pension Plan

June 3, 2008

• California Public Employee Pensions and Healthcare Costs Are a Fiscal Time Bomb (column)
• San Francisco's $338 Million Budget Shortfall May Pit Layoffs Against Public Employee Givebacks
• Fat Pensions Spell Doom for Many Cities (column)
• Union-Paid Actuary Underestimated New York City Pension Costs by $500 Million
• South Carolina's Local Governments Might Drastically Change Public Employee Health Insurance
• Some South Carolina Local Governments Face Multimillion-Dollar Debts
• New Jersey Legislators Consider Cutting Pension and Health Benefits for New Hires
• Kentucky Lawmakers Meet on Pension Reform; Reach No Deal
• Illinois Can't Afford Pension-Padding Games (column)
• It's Time to Bring Public-Sector Benefits in Line With Rest of US (column)

June 2, 2008

• California Governor Ducks $48 Billion Public Employee Health Care Time Bomb Again (column)
• Watch Vallejo's Bankruptcy (editorial - Long Beach Press-Telegram)
• Vallejo's Bankruptcy Is the Price of Binding Arbitration (letter)
• San Diego/city: Pension Mess Still Elephant in the Room for Candidates
• North Carolina's Pension Fund Stocks Lose $5 Billion
• Illinois Lawmakers Need to Address State Pension Problem (editorial - Pantagraph)
• One Plan to Fix Illinois' Pension Debt: Get Workers to Give Back
• New York Teachers' 403b Plan Guaranteed 8.25% Return Backed by Taxpayers (column)
• Weymouth, Massachusetts Lets Former Mayor Collect Higher Pension of Fire Chief
• Underfunded Pension Plans Could Cause Trouble for Ford, Goodyear (column)
• Quarter of GM Hourly Employees Take Retirement Buyout Offer, But It's Not Enough

May 31, 2008

• Contra Costa County Board Not Effectively Dealing With $1.74 Billion OPEB Liability (op-ed)
• Judge Sets June 27 Deadline to Protest Vallejo's Bankruptcy
• Going Bankrupt in Vallejo (column)
• Pension Blues in San Diego: Questions for Author Roger Lowenstein (interview)
• Georgia's Governor May Be Cutting-Edge on Judicial Pay and Cost of Benefits
• Economist Calls Illinois Pension Borrowing Plan 'A Book-Keeping Gimmick'
• Massachusetts' Pension COLA Would Just Add Weight to 'An Already Impossible Burden' (column)
• Pension Funds May Be Pushing Up the Price of Oil
• Oil Bubble Could Prove Threat to Pension Funds
• Sewing the Energy Loopholes Shut (column)
• The Derailed Pact Between Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich on Social Security

May 30, 2008

• Vallejo Seeks to Limit Time Period for Objections to Bankruptcy to Two Weeks
• California Assembly Passes Bill Opening CalPERS to Private Workers
• Illinois Senate Okays $16 Billion Loan to Bolster Pension System
• Massachusetts COLA Would Add Billions to Pension Debt (column)
• Massachusetts Is Mortgaging the Future for a Pension COLA (editorial - Boston Globe)
• Find Another Way to Pay for Massachusetts' Pension COLA (editorial - Boston Herald)

May 29, 2008

• Vallejo's Chapter 9 Filing Goes Before a Judge Today
• Selma, California Offers Employees Early Retirement Incentives to Deal With Budget Shortfall
• Santa Barbara County, California's Public Employees Worried About Health Benefits
• San Diego/city: Mayor Unveils New Pension Proposal
• San Diego/city: Mayor Wants New Pension Plan Placed on November Ballot
• Kentucky's Governor Considers Special Session to Fix $26 Billion Pension Liability
• Illinois Pension Reform Bill Advances to Full House
• New Hampshire Retirement Incentive Bills Could Be Costly
• New Hampshire House Plan Is a Better Fix for State Pension Fund (editorial - Concord Monitor)
• As Losses Mount in Massachusetts, Local Pension Boards Face Renewed Scrutiny
• There Is Little Sympathy for Teachers Facing a Wage Freeze in Pasco County, Florida
• In Stock Plan, Employees See Stacked Deck
• Another of Series of Czech Union Protests Aims at Pension Reform

May 28, 2008

• Other Troubled Cities Watch Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy Filing
• Vallejo's Biggest Unsecured Debts Are $84 Million for Pensions and $136 Million for Retiree Healthcare
• Proposed Pension COLA for Massachusetts Retirees Could Cost Taxpayers $6 Billion
• Atlanta, Georgia's City Council Must Rein in Pensions Before It's Too Late (column)
• Benefits for New York's Public Workers Are Too Taxing (editorial - Democrat and Chronicle)
• Maine's Public Pensions Shouldn't Chain Workers to Their Jobs (op-ed)
• Time for Illinois to Get a Handle on Pensions (editorial - Daily Herald)
• Illinois Governor Says He Didn't Know 8-Week Job Would Boost Friend's Pension by $38,000/year
• Illinois' State Retirees 'Not Living the High Life' Says Retiree
• Forced Collective Bargaining Bill Passes Cloture; 69 Senators Vote to Cripple State Budgets
• No Presidential Candidate Is Facing the Fiscal Time Bomb of Health-Care Entitlements

May 27, 2008

• Vallejo, California's Bankruptcy May Be Model for Others
• Who Will Follow Vallejo Into Bankruptcy? (op-ed)
• Private-Sector Investors Should Stay Out of CalPERS (op-ed)
• Senator Ready to Criticize Pension Funds for Contributing to Rising Gas, Food Prices
• COLA Bill Would Double Pennsylvania's $10.4 Billion Pension Debt (editorial - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
• Veto: South Carolina Governor Rejects Bill to Double State Retirees' Annual COLA
• Taxpayer Largess Invites Pension Abuse in Massachusetts (editorial - Salem News)
• New Jersey Governor Pushes Retirement Incentives for 3,000 State Employees
• Public Employee Deals Too Costly for New Jersey Taxpayers (editorial - Courier-Post)
• Illinois' $42 Billion Pension Debt Is Worst in Nation
• Illinois Pension Problem Has Ugly Ripples
• The Most Talked-About Ways to Deal With Illinois' Huge Pension Debt Problem
• Solutions for Illinois' Huge Pension Liability Not Easy to Implement
• Needs Getting Squeezed Out by Illinois Pension Debt
• History of Illinois' State Pension System Woes
• New York Schools' Practice of Paycheck and Pension Suspended
• New York Agency's Mistake Earns 2 Lawyers Pension Credits
• Which Manchester, New Hampshire City Employees Are Paid the Most?
• Manchester, New Hampshire Teacher Salaries Called Average
• SEC Backs Shareholder Balloting on Universal Health Care

May 25, 2008

• California's Payroll Skyrockets Under Schwarzenegger as Deficit Has Grown by Billions
• Tight Times or Not, California's Legislators Want Their Pay Raises (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Vallejo Bankruptcy 'Could Be Precedent-Setting'
• City of Vallejo Releases Bankruptcy Information
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Keeps Up Pension Crusade
• Late Career Promotions Add to Springfield, Illinois' Pension Expenses
• Nevada Public Employee Pay Raises on the Chopping Block (editorial - Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Washington Schools Candidate Tried to Get State Legislature to Boost His Pension by $90,000/year
• Pension Stripping Is Unfair to Convicted Public Officials (op-ed)
• Pennsylvania Takes Some Small but Commendable Steps in Contolling OPEB Costs (column)

May 24, 2008

• Vallejo, California Formally Files for Chapter 9 Bankruptcy
• Vallejo Is Largest California City to File Bankruptcy
• Vallejo Residents Should Expect Tighter Budget
• San Francisco Suburb of Vallejo Files for Bankruptcy
• Vallejo City Workers Try to Boost Morale With Luncheon
• Illinois' $42 Billion Massive Pension Debt Is Like No Other State, and Growing at $120 Per Second
• Illinois Governor's Friend Gets a $38,000 Pension Boost for 8 Weeks of Work
• Washington State Considers Adding Life-Expectancy Patterns to Its Pension Planning
• Pension Crisis in US: PBGC Is Finding Itself Severely Stressed, Says Author Roger Lowenstein (audio)
• Fair Is Fair -- But Pensions for Corporate Executives Often Aren't
• Over-65 Most Likely to Be Working in Stores, Study Says

May 23, 2008

• Rialto, California's Pension Give-Away (column)
• San Francisco Financier Offers Vallejo a Bailout Plan
• The Financial Mess in Vallejo, California, Provides Lessons for All Public Officials (column)
• Mediator No Longer Being Retained by Vallejo for Negotiations
• Pension COLA Increase for Pennsylvania's Retirees Is a Recipe for Disaster (op-ed)
• New York's Governor and Legislators Seek to Cut Abuse of State's Pension Systems
• Noblesville, Indiana's City Council Members' Benefits Need a Second Look (editorial - Indianapolis Star)
• Federal Office of Personnel Management Testifies in Favor of Double-Dipping Bill
• Why Don't Some States and Localities Pay Their Required Pension Contributions? (study)
• Canadian Pension Fund Loses $300 Million for Year
• 500,000 Protest in France Against Pension Reforms
• Pension Reform Around Europe

May 22, 2008

• San Diego/city: For Mayor, There Were Other Pension Plan Options
• Vallejo Made the Correct Decision on Bankruptcy (editorial - Vacaville Reporter)
• Illinois Senate Democrats Eyeing $16 Billion in Pension Bonds to Ease Budget Pressure
• Massachusetts Court Rules Take-Home City Cars Don't Count Toward Public Employee Pensions
• The Battle to Curb Public Pensions in Massachusetts (op-ed)
• Pension Costs Up 55 Percent in Eatontown, New Jersey's Budget
• Audit Finds Mistakes Rampant in Atlantic City, New Jersey Benefits Plan
• S&P 500 Firms Push Funding of Defined-Benefit Pension Plans
• The Shortfalls of Social Security Disability Insurance (text and Video)
• France Expected to Be Crippled Under Strikes Over Public Employee Pension Reform

May 21, 2008

• Contra Costa County Supervisors Again Hit by Grand Jury on $1.74 Billion Health Care Liability
• Read the Contra Costa County Grand Jury Report on OPEBs (pdf)
• Actuaries Drawing More Scrutiny on Pension Projections
• Congress Is Meddling With Decisions About Local Government Salaries (editorial - Winston-Salem Journal)
• Vallejo's Finances Worry Vendors With City Contracts
• Land Venture Involving CalPERS Seeks to Redo Loan That's in Default
• West Virginia Election Illustrates Why We're Facing a Pension Crisis (column)
• Pension Reform Cost Debated in New Hampshire
• Are Pension Funds Fueling High Oil Prices? (column)

May 20, 2008

• US Taxpayers Are on the Hook for a Record $57.3 Trillion to Cover Benefits of Everyone Eligible
• Vallejo's Bankruptcy Shows Us What Is Wrong in California's Governmental Finance Systems (column)
• New York Assembly Halts Bills With Analysis by Union-Paid Actuary
• Massachusetts Rejects Former Weymouth Mayor's Request for a Fire Chief's Pension
• Washington State's Public Employee Pension Fund Sees First-Quarter Losses
• Ways to Deal With Illinois' Huge $42 Billion Pension Debt Problem
• Court Rules Franklin Park, Illinois' Pension Fund Shortfall Is Not Covered by Insurance
• The Union Police (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• The Trouble With Unions (column)

May 19, 2008

• Vallejo Was Living Beyond Its Means (column)
• Will North San Diego County Cities Join Vallejo in Bankruptcy? (column)
• CalPERS Misjudges on $1 Billion Real Estate Deal in the Santa Clarita Valley
• Crescent City, California's Council Considers Giving Itself $1300/month in Health Benefits
• San Diego/city: Judge in Federal Pension Case Refuses to Step Down
• Sensing the Moment Favors Them, Unions in New York's Capital Push for Gains
• New York Has 899 State Pensioners Pulling in Over $100,000/year
• Those 40 Double-Dippers on Long Island Confirm Worst Fears (editorial - Newsday)
• New York Legislature Considers a Plan That Hampers Health Cost Control (editorial - Buffalo News)
• Broome County, New York Lawmakers Urge Governor to Veto Retiree Health Care Legislation
• Ohio Legislators Should Change Law on Double Dipping (op-ed)
• Double Dipping in Ohio Should End, But It Is Only a Symptom of a Deeper Problem (letter)
• Deadlock on Deputies' Pension Plan Continues in Carroll County, Maryland
• Montgomery County, Maryland's Love Affair With Government Unions Must End (editorial - Washington Post)
• Early Retirement Incentives Could Be One Key to New Jersey Budget Agreement
• Pension Reform Hurdles Remain in New Hampshire
• It Isn't Fair to Give Pennsylvania's Taxpayers Bills for Bonusgate Clean-Up (editorial - Morning Call)
• Texas Right to Call for an End of Improper Use of Benefits (editorial - Brownsville Herald)
• School District in Chandler, Arizona Limits Benefits to Prevent Budget Woes
• Generation X Has No Confidence in Social Security, Survey Finds
• A Conversation With Chile's Former Labor Minister About Its Social Security System
• Seniors Living on a Fixed Income Face Hard Choices as Costs Soar

May 16, 2008

• Public Employee Unions Bankrolled Analyst Vetting New York City Pension Bill
• San Diego/city: Standard & Poor's Restores San Diego's Credit Rating
• San Diego/city: Back in the Game, but Will Council Heed Call for More Reform? (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• California's EdFund Board Puts $3 Million Severance Package on Hold
• Criticism of Public Pension System Misses Benefits, Says CEO of CalSTRS (op-ed)
• CalPERS Committee Recommends No Increase in Health Premiums for California State Workers
• Suit Filed to Block New York Pension Probe

May 15, 2008

• Vallejo Mediation Session Unsuccessful; City Rejects Latest Offer by Public Employee Unions
• Vallejo's Public Employee Unions Just Don't Get It (letter)
• Overtime Boosts Many Orange County Sheriff's Deputies' Pay Above $100,000
• Soaring Orange County Deputy Overtime Cost Spurs Request for Audit
• San Diego/city: Late Night Labor Talks Lead to Confusion
• San Diego/city: No Petition for Pension Issue
• Public Employee Pension Reform Must Be Part of California's Budget Debate (blog)
• Pension Funds 'Diversify' Into Commodity Bubble (column)
• Pension Monster Guts GM, Halts NYC Subways, Bleeds San Diego (book review)

May 14, 2008

• San Diego/city: Mayor 'Left Hanging' as Council's 4-4 Tie Stalls His Pension Reform Efforts
• California's EdFund President Says $3 Million Severance Package Isn't a Done Deal
• Prop. B Attempts to Address San Francisco's $4 Billion Unfunded Health Liability (editorial - Sf Chronicle)
• Vallejo, California's Public Employee Unions Offer Plan to Avert Bankruptcy
• Vallejo Has 292 Employees Making Over $100,000/year (blog)
• Search the San Francisco Chronicle's Database of Vallejo's $100,000-plus Earners
• Let Public in on Government Labor Deals (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• San Marcos, California School Board OKs Plan to Fund $177 Million Retiree Health Liability With Bonds
• San Jose, California's Pension Trustees Need to Rein in Travel Spending (editorial - Mercury News)
• CalPERS Committee Neutral on Proposed Private IRA Plan
• Time for Serious Reforms in New York's Public Employee Pension System (editorial - Newsday)
• New York Bill on Retiree Health Care Would Send Property Taxes Soaring (op-ed)
• Virginia's Local Government Employees Should Tighten Their Belts, Too (editorial - Newport News Daily Press)
• Tax Watchdog Group Withdraws Support for Tax Hike to Fix Illinois' Pension and Opeb Liabilities
• Oklahoma's State Employees Rally for Pay Raise at Capitol
• East Providence, Rhode Island School Committee Ends Health Benefits for Future Members
• PBGC Vows to Protect Delphi Pensions, Which Are Underfunded by $3.3 Billion
• Public Pension Funds Are Helping to Drive the Looming Commodity Crisis (column)

May 13, 2008

• Another 'Golden Handshake' in Sacramento -- This Time It's $3 Million for EdFund Execs
• CHART: Details of EdFund's $3 Million Severance Packages
• San Diego/city: Union Offers to Lower Its Own Pension Benefits to Save Defined-Contribution Plan
• San Diego/city: Council Rejects Mayor's Pension Reform Proposal; He'll Take It to Voters
• Vallejo City Workers Offer to Cut Pay to Help City Avoid Bankruptcy
• AUDIO: Public Employee Unions Offer Plan to Keep Vallejo Out of Bankruptcy (mp3)
• Vallejo Council to Discuss Union's Salary Reduction Proposal Today
• CalPERS Names Interim Chief Executive Amid Speculation About Internal Tensions
• Bill Would Boost Pension of Former Secretary to New York GOP's State Chairman
• New York State Comptroller Proposes OPEB Fund for Future Fetiree Health Care Costs (with audio)
• The Global Slump of 2008-09 Has Begun as Poison Spreads

May 12, 2008

• San Diego/city: Will Council Back Taxpayers or Unions on Pension Issue? (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Mysterious Things Happening Behind CalPERS' Curtain of Secrecy (column)
• San Jose, California Retirement Officials' Pricey Travel Paid at Pensions' Expense
• Why Did Vallejo Fill 'Spokesperson' Post With Police Retiree Who Got Half-Million Dollar Payout? (letter)
• Pennsylvania Lawmakers Still Looking at Boosting State, School Retirees' Pension Benefits
• New York Public Employees' Health Benefits Bill Criticized
• Bill to Freeze New York's Retired Public Employees' Health Benefits Is a Trojan Horse (editorial - Newsday)
• A Resident of Arlington Heights, Illinois Asks: How Will We Pay Our Pension Debt? (letter)
• Mayor of Brownsville, Texas Asks Commissioners to Repay City for Benefits Received Illegally
• Care for Increasing Number of Disabled Veterans Will Cost $59 Billion a Year in 25 Years
• Even the Insured Feel Strain of Health Costs

May 11, 2008

• Bankrupt Vallejo Offers Cautionary Tale of Public Employee Union Dominance (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Rialto, California's 50% Police Pension Boost Increases City's Obligation
• Retirees Sue Fresno, California School District to Keep Free Health Benefits for Life
• San Diego/city: Author Discusses San Diego's Pension Crisis in New Book (audio - 33 minutes)
• The Prophet of Pensions (op-ed)
• Vallejo Is Test Case for Unloading Extravagant Public Employee Contracts
• City of Vallejo, California Declares Bankruptcy: Will More Cities Follow? (blog)
• Pension and Benefits Accounting Tactics Conceal a Crisis for Public Employees and Taxpayers
• GRAPH: Percentage of State and Local Government Pension Plans Funded Below 80% (gif)
• Influence of Public Employee Unions Grows in Montgomery County, Maryland
• Time for Montgomery County, Maryland's Public Employee Unions to Look Inward for Savings (editorial - Washington Post)
• Reform of Public Employee Benefits Key to Solvency for New Jersey (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin Squeezed by Cost of Public Employee Health Care
• Many Rhode Island Workers May Retire Early Due to Looming Changes to Health Coverage
• New York Law Extends Protection of Education Retirees' Health Insurance Coverage
• New York 'Trojan Horse' Bill Would Ban Local Governments From Changing Health Benefits for Retirees

May 10, 2008

• San Diego/city: Proposed Changes to Public Employee Pensions Are Key to Labor Negotiations' Breakdown
• Chula Vista, California Could Curb Retired Public Employees' Health Benefits
• Vallejo City Officials, Unions Meet With Mediator
• Vallejo's Bankruptcy Might Have Been Prevented (column)
• Vallejo: Poster Child of a New Era?
• Chico, California Looks at the Lesson of Vallejo (editorial - News & Review)
• Pension Reform Is Part of Solution to Budget Deadlock in Sacramento (op-ed)
• Employers Eye Possible Change on 'Smoothing' in Pension Law
• Pennsylvania Says Liability for Future State Retiree Health Costs Has Dropped to $8.5 Billion
• Pennsylvania 'Has Taken Steps to Control Costs, Preserve Benefits' Says Budget Secretary (press release)

May 9, 2008

• Unfunded Retiree Health Benefits Pose Challenge to Contra Costa County's Budget (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• Effects of Vallejo's Bankruptcy Likely to Be Felt by Nearby California Cities of Benicia and American Canyon
• Vallejo Residents Weigh in on Bankruptcy Vote
• New York's Attorney General Sees Fraud in Some Lawyers' State Pensions
• New York Pension Probe Will Snare 'Hundreds' of Lawyers, State's Attorney General Predicts
• Editorial Cartoon by Walt Handelsman on Roslyn, New York's Pricey Pension Convict
• Denver Teachers, Colorado's Public Employees Pension Funds Await Merger Talks
• Anderson, Indiana Okays Buyouts for Firefighters, City Employees
• Public Employee Pension Funds Lost Money in First Quarter of 2008

May 8, 2008

• Vallejo, California's Public Employee Unions to Push for Audit of City Finances
• S&P Lowers Vallejo's Ratings
• Vallejo May Be Ominous Harbinger for Some Cities in California and Elsewhere
• Vallejo Bankruptcy Will Give City Breathing Room to Renegotiate Its Obligations
• Natick, Massachusetts Pension Fund May Have Lost $2.6 Million in Asian Hedge Fund Bankruptcy
• Evanston, Illinois Blue Ribbon Committee Meets to Address $140 Million Pension Fund Shortfall
• Tight Provo, Utah Budget Includes Higher Fees, Scalebacks to Employee Benefits
• Carmel, Indiana Council Members Kill Plan to Give Themselves Health Insurance
• PBGC Pension Take-Back 'Nightmare' for Steel Plant Retirees

May 7, 2008

• Vallejo, California Will Seek Bankruptcy Protection After Stalemate With Public Employee Unions
• Vallejo Is Largest City in California Ever to File for Bankruptcy
• Cities and Counties Throughout California Are Watching Vallejo
• Rialto, California Increases Police Pensions by 50%; Firefighters Will Be Next
• Contra Costa County Supervisors Trim Retirees' Benefits
• North Tonawanda, New York Ex School Superintendent's Pension Is 2nd Highest in State
• Pension Debts: The Next Financial Mess?
• Why Does Funding Status Vary Among State and Local Public Pension Plans? (study)

May 6, 2008

• Vallejo, California Back at the Brink: Bankruptcy Vote Today
• Teachers' Benefits Have Gone Missing in Contra Costa County (column)
• Any Tax Increase in California Must Be Tied to Reforming Public Employee Benefits (op-ed)
• CalPERS Should Maintain Its Activism (op-ed)
• Book on Pensions Says the US 'Is Sitting on a Retirement Time Bomb'
• Long Island, New York: Ex-Roslyn School District Officials Collect Pensions in Prison
• New Accounting Rule To Cost Allegany County, Maryland Millions for OPEB Funding
• Pension Ascension in Fort Worth, Texas (editorial - Star-Telegram)

May 5, 2008

• Palo Alto, California Staff Compares Budget With Troubled Vallejo
• Web Salary Charts Tell All, and We Love It
• Long Island School Superintendent Gets New York State's Biggest Pension
• Following the Path to Long Island School Administrator's $316,000 Pension
• List of the Top 10 Pensions in New York State Teachers' Retirement System
• Officials in Binghamton, New York Face Music on Reporting Future Benefit Costs
• New York Taxpayers Fund Too Many Layers (editorial - Press & Sun-Bulletin)
• Pension Increase for Pennsylvania Retirees Carries Huge Cost for Taxpayers
• Budget Shortfalls Leaving Massachusetts' Cities, Towns in Tough Spot
• West Virginia Teacher Pension Plan Transfer Hits Key Date Today
• Survey Results Released for 'Public Service Recognition Week' -- a Tribute to Public Employees

May 4, 2008

• Public Employee Unions Must Lead the Way in California's Pension Reform Effort (op-ed)
• Hundreds of New York Government Workers Are Double Dippers
• Public Employee Unions Rally at Rhode Island's State House to Protect Lavish Pensions and Benefits
• Massachusetts Firefighters Hit Streets to Fight Drug and Alcohol Testing
• Massachusetts Firefighters March on State House in Boston (photos)
• Boston Firefighters Want Extra Pay for Drug Testing (column)
• My Respect for Boston Firefighters Union (column)
• New Trust Fund Established for South Carolina State Retiree Health Benefits
• Connecticut Pension Ethics Bill's Passage Still Up in the Air
• Strapped State and Local Governments Revive Pension Bonds
• Subpanel's Vote to Hike Dependent Age for Federal Employees' Health Benefits Could Cost $200 Million
• Could Northern Ireland's Public Sector Pension Liability Really Be This Bad? (blog)

May 3, 2008

• Vallejo, California's Top Officials Recommend Bankruptcy
• Vallejo City Manager Advises Bankruptcy After Union Negotiations Fail
• Sunday Mediation Session May Be Vallejo's Last Chance to Avoid Bankruptcy
• Few States Hold All the Assets They Should to Fund Future Pension and Health Benefits
• Deal Sweetens Already Lavish Pensions in Redding, California (editorial - Record Searchlight)
• Chattanooga, Tennessee's Pension Fund Liability Estimates Range From $62-95 Million
• Ridgefield, Connecticut's Pension Commission May Sue Over Subprime Losses
• New York Governor Offers Deals to Some Attorneys in Pension Scandal

May 2, 2008

• California's 'Pension Proposition 13' Would Be Worth a Shot in Nevada (editorial - Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Hayward, California Firefighters and Police Agree to Reduce Raises to Avoid Layoffs, Ease Deficit
• Pension Bonds Called 'Dumbest Idea Ever' to Plug Fund Deficits
• Divestment Laws Will Hurt Taxpayers (column)

May 1, 2008

• Hiring of Public Employees By Federal, State and Local Governments Leaps in First Quarter
• California Budget Solution Must Include Controlling Public Employee Benefits (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Timing, Cost of Bumping Up Pennsylvania Retirees' Pensions Questioned
• A New Pension Grab in Pennsylvania: Raises or Reform? (editorial - Tribune-Review)
• Editorial Cartoon by Randy Bish on Pennsylvania's Pension Hike
• Texas Cities Face Pension Blues (editorial - Dallas Morning News)
• Illinois Legislators Set for Another Hefty Pay Raise
• Warren Buffett Casts Doubt on Pension Funds' 8% Annual Return Assumptions

April 30, 2008

• Cut California State Officials' Raises, If It's Legal (editorial - Vallejo Times Herald)
• Pennsylvania Pension Hikes Could Cost Taxpayers $10 Billion
• New York Local Officeholders Pile Up Millions in Pensions
• Connecticut Legislature Weakens Bill to Revoke Pensions of Corrupt Public Officials
• Tennessee House Panel Kills Bill Revoking Health Benefits for Convicted Lawmakers
• Oklahoma State Senate Closes Pension Doubling Loophole
• A Suggested Cure for the Pension Board Conflict-Of-Interest Ailment (column)
• Union Wants to Expand Health Benefits to Dependents of Federal Workers Through Age 25 (press release)

April 29, 2008

• Retiree Benefits Could Bankrupt West Contra Costa School District (column)
• UC Berkeley Police Chief's $2.1 Million Pension Deal Was 'By the Book' Says Administrator
• UC Berkeley's Retirement Payout to Police Chief Is 'Pathetic' (editorial - Daily Californian)
• A Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free Card for Bad Firefighters in California (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Subprime Crisis May Drive State Pension Funds Into Bond Insurance
• Wisconsin Schools Flunk 'Investments 101' While Trying to Close Retiree Funding Gap (column)
• Boeing's Labor Talks May Include a Defined-Contribution Plan for New Hires

April 28, 2008

• Los Angeles' Plan to Delay $81 Million Payment to Pension Fund Called Accounting Gimmick
• Does Commission on California Elected Officials' Pay Have Power to Cut Their Salaries?
• Newsletter Profiles Orange County Pension Lawsuit and Supervisor John Moorlach (pdf)
• CalPERS Board Seeks Limits on Investments to Protect Public Employees' Jobs
• Florida Lawmakers Want State Pension Plan to Invest in Florida
• Concord, New Hampshire's Unfunded Liability for Employee Health Benefits Is $55.7 Million
• Sandy, Utah's Mayor, City Administrator Raking in the Dough
• Fort Worth, Texas' Pension Fund Shortfall Drops
• Retiree Health Benefits Are a Thing of the Past in the Private Sector
• Teamsters' Pension Fund in 'Red Zone'

April 27, 2008

• University of California at Berkeley Defends $2.1 Million Retirement Deal for Police Chief
• UC Berkeley Gives Its Top Cop a Sweet Deal (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• UC Berkeley's Tin Cup Millionaire (blog)
• California Assembly Speaker Boosts His Staff's Pensions and the Public's Cynicism (column)
• California State Controller's Meddling With CalPERS Not in Taxpayers' Interest (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• CalPERS Vows to Ease Market Crisis
• Tide May Be Turning Against Politically Motivated Divestment of Pension Funds (column)
• New York State's Tax Woe Meets Labor's 'No'
• New Jersey State Leaders Look at Limits on Pensions to Part-Timers
• Missouri Fire District Cuts Employee Health Costs 75% With HSAs
• Bonita, Florida Council Puts Progam and Service Cuts Ahead of Public Employee Layoffs
• The Right Fixes for Social Security (op-ed)
• Before Medicare, Sticker Shock and Rejection
• Baby Boomer Health Care Crisis Looms
• 'Apocalypse' Warning to Corporate Pension Funds in the UK as Life Expectancy Rises

April 25, 2008

• California's Elected Leaders Should Embrace a Pay Cut Voluntarily (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Plan to Open CalPERS to Private Sector Reflects Worry About Inadequate Saving for Retirement
• Union Pulls Out of Efforts to Reform Providence, Rhode Island's $700 Million Underfunded Pension Plan
• Massachusetts Retirement Board Rejects Pension Ploy
• Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania's Pension Fund Down $17 Million in First Quarter

April 24, 2008

• Vallejo, California Council Seeks All Available Options to Avoid Bankruptcy
• Vallejo Citizens' Group Launches Initiative to End Binding Arbitration
• California's Government Workers Are a Privileged Elite (column)
• California's Stern Rebuke of SEIU (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• California's Governor and Attorney General Are Enabling CHP's Appalling Behavior (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• CalPERS Losing Its Chief Investment Officer
• Entrepreneurial Sparks at California's CalPERS and Michigan's Mers (column)
• Illinois' Unfunded Opeb Liability Is $24 Billion, on Top of Its $42 Billion Pension Liability
• New Hampshire May Reduce Public Employee Representation on Pension Fund Board
• Maine Legislators Risk Seats Over $200 Million Retirement Benefits Bill (editorial - Waldo County Citizen)
• BARTow, Florida Approves New Pension Plan for General Employees
• Mccain's Pension (editorial - Investor's Business Daily)

April 23, 2008

• Vallejo, California Sets New Bankruptcy Deadline
• As Vallejo Bankruptcy Looms, Other Bay Area Cities May Follow (with video)
• California Panel Looks at Cutting Pay of Legislators and Statewide Elected Officials
• California Officials Fail to Investigate CHP Pension Padding Fraud (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/county: Pension Bond Interest Jump Costing County Additional $500,000 Per Month
• Public Retiree Health Care Liability Can't Be Ignored (editorial - Baltimore Sun)
• Monmouth, Illinois Council Chided for $3 Million Pension Shortfall
• US Senate Proceeds on Pension Bill for Filipino Veterans of World War II

April 22, 2008

• Bankruptcy Looking More Likely for City of Vallejo, California
• In California State Senate Race, Past Votes on CHP Benefits Play a Role
• South Carolina House Panel Likely to Scrap Legislators' Proposed Pension Increase
• South Carolina House Pension Plan Should Die in Committee (editorial - Beaufort Gazette)
• Springfield, Missouri Council Opposes Using Property Tax to Fund Pension Shortfall
• Springfield, Missouri's Top Cop Retiring to Lock in Pension
• What Do Glen Cove, New York and Vallejo, California Have in Common? (blog)
• Attorney on Stand at Rezko Trial Recalls Corruption on Illinois Pension Fund Board
• Cost of South Florida Cities' Retiree Health Benefits Expected to Rise Rapidly
• Pensions for Inmate Labor Unique to Hillsborough County, Florida
• John Mccain Gets Tax-Free Disability Pension

April 21, 2008

• Nevada City, California Has Unfunded Pension Liability 'North of $900,000' (blog)
• Retirement Benefits Weigh Down Budget in Fresno County, California
• CalPERS' Well-Intentioned Bad Idea (editorial - Orange County Register)
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Files Appeal in Pension Case
• Iowa Governments May Have a $10 Billion Liability for Public Employee Health Benefits
• New York City Eyes $200 Million in Cuts to Public Employee Health Care Benefits
• Health Subsidy Debate Pits New Hampshire Taxpayers Vs. Retired Public Employees
• Cost-Cutting Plan Targets Public Employee Pensions and Benefits in Newport News, Virginia
• Hamilton County, Tennessee Teachers May Pay More for Health Insurance
• Politicians Routinely Lie About Finances (column)
• Pension Funds Gain Leeway on Terror Divestment Laws (susbscription required)

April 18, 2008

• San Diego/city: Mayor Vetoes Council's 24% Pay Raise
• San Diego/city: Council's $9600/year Auto Allowance Will Be Restored if Pay Raise Is Dropped
• FBI Probes Disability Pension Abuse by Firefighters in Boston, Massachusetts
• Federal Probes Hit Boston City Hall Hard; Mayor's Accountability at Issue (analysis)
• Boston City Officials Blast Firefighters Over Pension Abuse Allegations
• Can Boston Mayor 'Mumbles' Menino Get Up From This Tumble? (column)
• Kentucky's $26.6 Billion Unfunded Pension Problem Will Get Worse (editorial - Herald-Leader)
• Convicted Former Mayor of Newark, New Jersey May Lose $124,654 Annual Pension
• Iowa Lawmakers Shore Up Public Employee Pensions
• Boeing Labor Negotiator Wants Pension-Plan Change for New Hires

April 17, 2008

• University of California Understated New President's Compensation and Retirement Packages (column)
• San Diego/city: Two Councilmen Change Minds, Dooming Pay and Pension Increases
• Special Legislative Session Urged to Fix Kentucky's $26.6 Billion Pension Deficit
• Florida Lawmakers Target Public Employee Double- and Triple-Dipping
• New Brunswick, New Jersey Squeezed by Pension, Benefit Costs
• The Health Insurance Mafia (op-ed)
• Market Turmoil Has Taken a Toll on Big Corporate Pension Funds
• Chart: a Setback for Corporate Pensions (jpg)
• For Big Companies, Pension Funding Shrinking -- and Fast
• Private Sector Workers Worry Over Retirement Readiness
• Delphi's Pension Fund Payment $323 Million Short
• Beneficial Mutual to End Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• Malaysian Government Should Stop Pampering Public Employees (editorial - the Star)

April 16, 2008

• Contra Costa County Officials Take Aim at $2.6 Billion Employee Health Care Debt
• San Diego/city: Council's Pay Raise Bumps Up Pensions
• San Diego/city: Mayor Right to Veto Stiff Council Pay Hike (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: Editorial Cartoon on Council's 24% Pay Raise and Pension Bump
• Deputy Attorneys General in California Could See Big Pay Raise
• Preposterously Generous Employee Benefits Are Reason for Las Vegas' Budget Woes (editorial - Review-Journal)
• New York Attorney General Widens Pension Probe to Towns and Villages
• New York State's Employee Benefits Keep Getting Richer (editorial - Democrat and Chronicle)
• Denver School System May Fully Fund Pension Plan by Restructuring Debt
• Kentucky Pension Reform Deal Reportedly Reached

April 15, 2008

• Orange County's Pension Lawsuit Moved to Los Angeles (blog)
• San Diego/city: Council Okays Budget Cuts, Job Cuts, and Raising Own Salaries 24%
• Who Is San Jose's Highest-Paid Employee? You May Be Surprised
• Facing Bankruptcy, Jefferson County, Alabama's Financial Advisers Meet With Federal Officials
• New York's Pension Scams Must End Now (blog)
• New Jersey Lawmaker Urges State Pension Changes

April 14, 2008

• California Assembly's Refusal to Detail Pension Spike Is Outrageous (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• CalPERS May Oversee Retirement Funds for California Workers Without Pensions or 401(k)s
• Several States Are Considering Legislation to Open Pension Funds to Private Sector Workers
• Public Employee Unions and Benefits - Ideals vs. Reality (blog)
• San Diego/city: Council to Consider 66% Pay Increase for Members, 49% for Mayor
• San Diego/city: SEC Flexing Its Muscle in Case Against Officials
• San Diego/city: Council Must Stop Paying Defendants' Legal Fees (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Springfield, Illinois Faces $5 Million in Cuts or a Sales Tax Increase to Fund Pensions
• Stock Prices and New York City's Public Employee Pensions: A History
• New Hampshire State Retirement System Needs Changes (editorial - Union Leader)
• Massachusetts: Retired Bulger Boy Grabs Onto Second State Job and Pension (column)
• West Virginia's Education Employees Mull Pension Plan Switch
• Columnist Highlights Obscene Contra Costa County Employee Health Benefits (blog)
• Co-Payments Go Way Up for Drugs With High Prices
• Insecurity of Social Security (op-ed)
• Ireland's Public Employee Pension Bill Hits €75 Billion

April 13, 2008

• Orange County's Lawsuit to Roll Back Sheriff's Deputies' Retroactive Pensions May Be Moved to Los Angeles
• California Assembly Compounds Pension Golden Handshake Error (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Bill Would Order CalPERS to Offer IRAs to Private-Sector Employees (column)
• Intriguing Idea: CalPERS for Private Savers (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• School Lawyers in New York Enjoying Outrageous Benefits (editorial - Democrat and Chronicle)
• Pension Investigation Earns Pulitzer Prize for Reporter at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• Buybacks May Figure in Pension Lawsuit in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
• Public Employee Pensions Pay Off (editorial - Washington Times)
• Florida: Double Dip, a Tip and Me (column)
• Double-Dipping Bill Could Target Dozens of Alabama's Legislators
• 2007 Was a Great Year for New Jersey Double-Dippers; Ranks Swelled by 20%
• New Law in New Jersey Changes Some Retirement Benefits for Public Employees
• Texas Attorney General Says Fort Worth's Plan to Fix Pension Shortfall Is Unconstitutional
• PBGC to Take on $119 Million Aloha Airlines Pension Fund Shortfall

April 11, 2008

• California Assembly Refuses to Release Cost Projections on Golden-Handshake Pension Offers
• Conflict-Of-Interest Laws Hamstring Pension Board in Marin County, California
• Orange County's Financial Debacle of 14 Years Ago May Soon Be Surpassed by Jefferson County, Alabama
• San Diego/city: It Won't Be Easy to Cut Off Legal Fees for Ex-Officials in Pension Fraud Case
• San Diego/city: Challengers in City Attorney Race Would Abandon Pension Roll-Back Case (with audio and transcript)
• San Diego's Pension Woes Might Be Others' (editorial - Modesto Bee)
• A Promising Idea for California Workers Who Have No Pensions (editorial - Mercury News)
• Orange County Transit Officials Vow to Stop Public Employees' Free Tollway Rides While State Expands Coverage
• MBTA Has 'Richest Retirement Program in America' Says Massachusetts Taxpayer Advocate
• New York Attorney General Broadens School District Lawyers' Pension Scam Inquiry
• Alaska Ready to Issue $5 Billion in Bonds to Deal With $8 Billion Pension Fund Deficit
• Wisconsin Restructures $948 Million in Pension Bonds
• Retirement Joy's Not in the Bag (column)
• Turkish Unions to Stage More Protests Against Social Security Reforms
• French Pension Reform Plans Draw Flak From Unions

April 10, 2008

• California Assembly Panel Passes State-Run IRA Proposal
• San Diego Officials in Trouble Over Pension Fiasco (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• San Diego/city: Close Program That Allows Both Pay and Pension, Mayor Says
• San Diego/city: City Workers Are the Wrong Target, Says Employee Union President
• San Diego/city: Readers Find Labor Chief's Words Off-Target (letters)
• California Bill Limiting CalPERS, CalSTRS Investments Is Withdrawn
• Bloomington, Illinois Struggles to Keep Up With Public Safety Pension Funds
• PAPO - Pension Actuary Pecking Order (blog)
• Universal Pension Could Help Protect World's Poorest Against Rising Food Prices, Says British Group

April 9, 2008

• California Governor Backs Opening CalPERS to Private Sector
• California Governor Opposes Sovereign Wealth Funds Bill Aimed at CalPERS and CalSTRS (op-ed)
• San Diego/city: Mayor Calls for No Help With Legal Bills for Officials Charged With Fraud
• San Diego/city: Finally, SEC Acts (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Omaha, Nebraska Police Union Proposes 99% Pension After 30 Years
• Massachusetts Pension Fund Loses $2.3 Billion in Asset Value (news blog)
• Massachusetts Court to Decide if Car Use Can Boost Public Employee Pensions
• Evanston, Illinois May Seek Legislative Help for Its $140 Million Pension Fund Debt
• Control Public Employee Overtime to Control New York's Skyrocketing Pension Costs (editorial - Buffalo News)
• Public Sector Offers More Attractive Employee Pension and Benefits Packages, BLS Survey Finds

April 8, 2008

• San Diego/city: SEC Files Fraud Charges Against Five Former Top City Officials
• San Diego/city: SEC Says Five Officials' False Statements Were at Heart of City's Pension Scandal
• Moorlach's Mad Motivation: A Profile of Orange County's Public Pension Reformer (subscription required)
• Pension Shortfall Means Painful Cutbacks for Springfield, Missouri
• Florida State Colleges Employ Almost 500 'Double Dippers'
• Non-Surplussed: Large Company Pension Plans Now Underfunded After $70 Billion Drop in First Quarter
• Make Way for the U-Boomers (column)
• Quiz: Which Foreign Countries Offer Their Citizens the Most Generous Pensions?

April 7, 2008

• Audit Says Orange County, California's Workers Are Paying for Their Own Pension Enhancements (news blog)
• Quick Thoughts on Orange County's Pension Audit (editorial blog)
• More Public Employee Perks in California: Special License Plates Shield Officials From Traffic Tickets
• Orange County Sheriff's Deputies' Pension Dispute Spotlights Man Wearing Two Hats
• San Diego/city: High Cost for Low Marks in Pension 101 (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Contra Costa County's Public Employees Benefit on Our Dime (column)
• California Cities Pay Huge Salaries to Public Employees Despite Fiscal Crises
• New York State's 'Public Pension Bomb' Ticking Away
• New York State's Budget Woes and Public Employee Pensions Are Intertwined
• 'Soprano State' Taxpayers Victims of Too Much Government (op-Ed)
• Good News, Not-So-Good News on Pensions Out of Alaska's Legislature (editorial - News-Miner)
• Oklahoma Closes Loophole Allowing Retirees to Collect Pensions Greater Than Their Salaries as Employees
• Massachusetts' Big Dig Official's Firing Led to Windfall Tripling of Pension
• Pension Tension in Texas (editorial - Star-Telegram)
• Public Employee Pension Inertia in Kentucky (editorial - Courier-Journal)
• Pension Turbulence for Airline Employees
• How Immigrants Saved Social Security (editorial - New York Times)

April 4, 2008

• No Time for California to Give Pay Raises to State Employees (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Editorial Cartoon: Welcome to California -- The Golden Handshake State
• Alaska Will Issue Up to $5 Billion in Bonds to Pay Down State's Pension Debt
• Nanticoke, Pennsylvania Looking at Police Pension Hike

April 3, 2008

• San Diego City Council Approves Pension Changes
• California Governor Restricts Pay Raises for State Supervisors
• Search for a California State Worker's Salary
• California Attorney General Says Review of Highway Patrol Pension Case Is Under Way (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Judge Rules Against Teachers in Case Involving New Jersey Pension Payments
• How a Valley Stream, New York Lawyer Got a Six-Figure State Pension Though a Private Contractor
• Buffalo, New York Police Officer Retires With Record Pension of More Than $100,000/year
• Graphic: Padding the Pension in Buffalo (pdf)
• Review of '85 Rule' for Teacher Retirements Would Help Ontario With $12.7-Billion Pension Deficit

April 2, 2008

• California Legislator's Bill Would Cost CalPERS and CalSTRS Billions of Dollars (column)
• Retroactive Pension Revocation Would Be Constitutional, Says Connecticut's Attorney General (blog)
• Massachusetts' Homeowners Taken for an Override (column)
• 'Ords' in Boston Mayor's Favor for a Big Pension Payout (column)
• Ontario Teachers' Pension Fund Facing $12.7 Billion Shortfall

April 1, 2008

• California Assembly Boss's Pension Deals an Affront to Taxpayers (editorial - Press-Telegram)
• Early Retirement Plums for New Jersey State Workers Criticized
• Illinois Towns Fear They Won't Be Able to Keep Up With Growing Pension Costs
• Kentucky's Pension Plan Overhaul Stalls
• Bankruptcy Court Gives Delphi Extensions on GM, Pension Deals
• Insurers Faulted for Overloading Social Security's Disability Program

March 31, 2008

• Buyouts of Public Employees in Sacramento Area Called Too Generous
• Governor, Attorney General Perpetute California Highway Patrol 's Culture of Corruption (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Municipalities Need to Get Handle on Public-Employee Liabilities (column)
• Hundreds of School, State Workers in Collier County, Florida Draw Pension on Top of Salaries
• End Pension Abuses or Face Voters' Wrath (editorial - St. Petersburg Times)
• Force Government to Rethink Its Generous Pay and Benefits (editorial - Tampa Tribune)
• Battle Brewing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Over Pension Board Appointments
• Conflict Builds in Connecticut Over Proposal for State-Run Retirement Program for Small Businesses
• Pension Proposals Would Cut Annual Increases for Kentucky's Retirees
• Tennessee's Pension Fund Investments in Iran, Sudan Under Scrutiny
• Thousands in France Join Protests Against Pension Reform
• As Morocco Faces Ageing Population, Pension Fund Reforms Get Renewed Attention to Avoid Collapse

March 28, 2008

• California Assembly Speaker 'Proud' of Pension 'Golden Handshake' Offer
• California's Ordinary Citizens Are Slaves to Their Public Employee Masters (column)
• California May Create New Bond Insurer to Rival Buffett's
• 23 School Districts on Long Island, New York Have Private Lawyers on Public Pay and Pension Rolls
• Allentown, Pennsylvania's Police Pension Funding Unchanged at 56%
• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Pensions Are Secret (blog)
• Local Government Pay Hikes in Virginia Should Mirror Taxpayers' Raises (editorial - Daily Press)
• What Are Corporate Pensions and Health Care Benefits Worth?

March 27, 2008

• California Assembly Speaker's Early Retirement Deals Are Sweet and Stinky (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Public Employee Unions Are in Control From Top to Bottom in California (op-ed)
• 'illegal Immigrants' Shore Up Social Security System to the Tune of Around $13 Billion Per Year (column)
• Error Kept Twenty of Boston's Top $100,000-Plus Pension Earners Off List
• Boston's Top Twenty Pensioners Having a Grand Old Time (column)
• Will Early Retirements Cost New Jersey More in the Long Run?
• New Jersey's Local Officials Need to Stop Whining About Added Pension Payments (editorial - Star-Ledger)
• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Reveals 115 Pension Payout Errors
• Cover Connecticut's Pension Liability (editorial - Hartford Courant)
• Bear Stearns Deal Brings Lawsuits by Public Employee Pension Funds
• First Bear Stearns, Then ... Everyone Else? (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Congress Must Not Ignore the Medicare Trustees' Warning (issue paper)
• Click Here to Read or Download the 2008 Annual Trustees' Report on Medicare (pdf)
• Are We Heading for a Global Pensions Collapse? (column - UK)
• South Korea's Pension Fund to Stop Buying US Treasuries
• Battle Lines Drawn Over French Pension Reform Plan

March 26, 2008

• Pension 'Golden Handshake' Foe Says California Assembly Speaker Stripped Him of Post
• Marin County, California Faces Financial Tsunami Similar to Vallejo (op-ed)
• San Diego Mayor Proposes Hybrid Pension Plan for New City Employees
• Nevada Supreme Court Ruling Highlights the Need for Public Employee Benefit Reform (editorial - Review-Journal)
• Gurnee, Illinois Police and Fire Pension Plans Meet Funding Guidelines
• Texas Pension Funds Could Invest in Big Road Projects
• Texas Pension Funds Sought to Finance Toll Roads in State
• US Treasury Secretary Says Social Security Is 'Unsustainable'
• Congress in No Rush to Fix Medicare and Social Security
• Cry Medicare (column)
• Uncle Sam Stocks Up (editorial - Wall Street Journal)

March 25, 2008

• CalPERS and CalSTRS Tackle Odd Sovereign Wealth Funds Legislation Backed by SEUI
• Questioning California's Pension Fund Bill (blog)
• San Diego Health District Exec Gets $142,000 Bonus
• Nebraska Court Rules That Severance Packages Promised to City Employees Are Unconstitutional
• Huge Public Employee Pensions Pinch Boston's Budget
• Boston's Tax Dollars at Work: Online Database of 2008 Pensioners

March 24, 2008

• Courts Put Pension Fiduciaries on the Hook (column)
• Mortgage Securities Lure Pension Funds
• 'Good Jobs' Getting Harder to Find for Less-Educated
• US Teasury Secretary's Remarks Before the National Association of State Treasurers (press Release)

March 23, 2008

• The Public Employee Unions Go to Town . . . and Bankrupt America's Cities
• Taxpayers Should Have Something to Say About Bear Stearns (column)
• Forget Pension Double-Dipping -- Florida Has 131 Triple-Dippers
• Sacrifice Necessary to Secure New Hampshire's Retirement Fund (editorial - Concord Monitor)
• Ocoee, Florida City Commissioners Approve Pensions for Themselves
• Pension Bonds and Buybacks Are Campaign Issues in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
• Methuen, Massachusetts Fights State Takeover of City Pension Fund
• Debate Over DB Versus DC Pensions Rages On
• Automakers' Pension Funds Used for Retirement Offers

March 21, 2008

• San Diego County's Pension Fund Investments Return 1%
• City of Los Angeles Public Employee Unions to Taxpayers: Peel Me a Grape (column)
• Evanston, Illinois Panel Balks at Proposed Pension Deficit Resolution
• Taking Pensions Away From Corrupt Officials (editorial - Hartford Courant)
• New Jersey Pension Fund to Shed $360 Million Worth of Stock in Firms Tied to Iran
• New Jersey's Pension Fund Shortfall Cries Out for a Permanent Fix (press Release)
• Is Now the Right Time for Public Pension Funds to Own Municipal Bonds? (column)
• Greek Parliament Adopts Pension Reforms

March 20, 2008

• CalPERS Announces First Loss Since 2005
• New Jersey Towns Get $1.2 Billion Pension Bill
• New Jersey Taxpayers on Hook for State Pensions
• Alaska Labor Unions Push to Reverse Pension Reforms Made in 2005
• Alaska Public Employees Call for Restoration of Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• CRR's Defined-Contribution Report Is Mostly Hits, With a Few Misses (column)
• Strikes Continue in Greece as Vote on Pension Reform Nears

March 19, 2008

• What Can Be Learned From Vallejo'$ Woe$ (editorial - Vallejo Times Herald)
• Orange County, California Could Lose $80 Million Investment
• Batavia, Illinois Asks State to Stop Approving New and Increased Pension Benefits
• Pension Reform Bill Passes New Hampshire House Without Debate
• New Hampshire Cities and Towns Push Overhaul of State Retirement System
• New Hampshire Cities and Towns Push Overhaul of State Retirement System (audio - MP3)
• The Biggest and Oldest Investment Scam Is Social Security (column)
• Greece Braced for Nationwide Strike Against Pension Reforms
• Serbia Has 1.5 Million Pensioners Supported by Only 2.5 Million Workers

March 18, 2008

• Debt Shift Helps Indianapolis Avoid Having to Borrow $1 Billion for Pensions
• CalPERS, CalSTRS Balk at Bill to Limit Foreign Investments
• CalPERS Asks Ratings Agencies to Change the Way They Rate Municipal Bonds
• Study Finds Flaws in Denver, Colorado's Teacher Pension Plan
• Denver Teachers' Pension Plan Makes It Harder to Hire and Keep Young Teachers, Says Study
• Bear Stearns Sale Buoys Most of Ohio's Public Employee Pension Funds
• Methodists to Vote on Caterpillar Divestment Over Use of Its Tractors by Israeli Military
• IBM Raises the Bar With New 401(k) Plan

March 17, 2008

• Benefits More Than Double the Cost of Compensation in Contra Costa County (column)
• San Jose, California Must Control Firefighter, Police Pay and Benefits (editorial - Mercury News)
• Marin County Supervisor Quits Post on Pension Board Fearing Conflict-Of-Interest Lawsuit
• Santa Barbara County's Budget Balancing Act Requires Courage (column)
• CalPERS Board Must Keep Its Priorities Straight (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Public Employee Pension Burden Grows for States
• The 10 Most Underfunded State Pensions in the Nation (chart)
• What's Wrong With New Jersey's Elected Officials? (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• Cap Pension Payments to Relieve New Jersey's Budget Burden (op-ed)
• West Hartford, Connecticut Discovers OPEBs (blog)
• Late-Career Salary Spikes for Teachers Push Limits of Pension Reform in Illinois
• Privatization of Airport Could Help Bail Out Chicago's Pension Funds
• Passage of Kentucky's Reform Plan Looks Like a Sure Thing (column)
• Changing Teacher Pensions in Delaware Faces Hurdles
• West Virginia Lawmakers Reach Compromise on Merger of Teacher Pension Funds
• Pension Proposal for West Virginia's Teachers Meets Key Tests (editorial - Wheeling News-Register)
• Mess With Michelin and Expect to Pay the Price (column)
• A Proposed Diet for the US Budget (book Review)

March 14, 2008

• California Pension Reform Group Makes Recommendations on Benefits to Vallejo
• Vallejo, California, and Jefferson County, Alabama May Be the 'Tip of the Iceberg' for Municipal Defaults
• New Hampshire Legislation Would Increase Retirement Age for Police, Firefighters
• Springfield, Missouri Council Recommends Sales Tax Hike for Police, Fire Pensions
• Springfield, Missouri's City Leaders Need to Learn That More Taxes Won't Fix Their Mismanagement (op-ed)
• State of Illinois Is Shorting Chicago Teachers' Pensions, Claims Lawsuit
• Chicago Students Pay for Unfair Pension Tax (editorial - Sun-Times)
• Shareholders Face Social Issues
• Public Pension Plans Love Alternative Investments, Study Finds

March 13, 2008

• Vallejo, California's Firefighter Union Partied on City's Dime
• Kentucky Senate Passes Its Own Version of Pension Reform Bill
• Political Cartoon Riles Evanston, Illinois' Fire and Police Pension Board Members
• Bankruptcy a Possibility for Jefferson County, Alabama

March 12, 2008

• The Coming Showdown With Public Labor
• What a Deal for Vallejo's Police Officers and Firefighters (letter)
• San Diego: Pension Crisis Takes Lion's Share of Time in First Debate Among Candidates for City Attorney
• San Diego: City Attorney Race Gets Testy Quickly at Inaugural Forum
• Oklahoma Public Employees Rally for Pay Hike Outside State Capitol
• Oklahoma Public Employee Health Benefits Bill Dies
• Obama's Proposed Payroll Tax Hike Wouldn't Be Enough to Fix Social Security (op-Ed)
• Greece Keeps Striking as Parliament Debates Pension Reform
• China Finds Gaping Hole in Pension Fund (blog)

March 11, 2008

• 'Vallejo Has Been Hogtied by Its Police and Fire Unions,' Says Local Businessman
• Real Estate Tax to Bail Out Chicago Transit Authority's Pensions Adds to Housing Woes
• New Hampshire Coalition of Public Employee Unions Blasts Pension Reform Bill

March 10, 2008

• San Diego: Mayor's Plan Curbs Runaway Pension Costs (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego: Steve Breen on Unions and Pensions (editorial cartoon)
• Orange County Finances Could Bring June Gloom (editorial - Orange County Register)
• West Contra Costa School District May Face Bankruptcy (with video)
• Chico, California Needs to Elect a Council With Courage to Avoid Bankruptcy (letter)
• Reduced Payment to California Teachers' Fund Is Worth the Risk (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• California's Sovereign Wealth Fund (op-Ed)
• San Diego: Public Employee Pay: The Urban Myth Resurfaces (blog)
• San Diego: The Public Employee Pay Urban Myth, Part 2: The Numbers Don't Lie (blog)
• San Jose, California's Mayor Proposes Change in Pension Payment Method to Save Money
• Vermont's Proposed Budget Would Underfund Pension Funds
• New Hampshire Public Employee Unions Form Coalition to Fight Pension, Benefit Reform
• West Virginia's Teacher Pension Bill Not Approved by Legislature
• Convict's State Pension Raises Questions About Cost of Wisconsin's Pension Program (editorial - Tomah Journal)
• SEC Ready to Pounce on Public Pension Fund Fraud
• Why Liberals Should Support Social Security Personal Accounts

March 7, 2008

• Orange County Pension Board Seeks New Venue for Trial on Deputies' Retroactive Benefits
• CalSTRS Agrees to Reduce State's Required Payments to Supplemental Pension Plan
• CalSTRS Trustees to Oppose Sovereign Wealth Funds Bill
• 222 California Assembly Staffers Offered Pension 'Golden Handshake'
• Vallejo May Be Nothing More Than the Tip of a Very Large Iceberg (blog)
• Napa, California's Finances Stronger Than Vallejo's, Says City Manager
• Oakland, California's New Police Contract Is First Step (column)
• Audit of San Jose, California's Pension Fund Expenses to Proceed
• Springfield, Missouri's Pension Underfunding: From Problem to Full-Blown Crisis
• As Houston Bond Auctions Fail, JPMorgan Exploits Taxpayers
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Wants to Be Included in Delta-Northwest Merger Talks
• Greece Considers Pension Reform Bill Amid Mass Protests

March 6, 2008

• Live Oak, California Increases Pension Benefit for Employees
• Temporary Agreement Is Right Step for Vallejo (editorial - Vacaville Reporter)
• Public Employee Unions Studying Clovis, California's Finances
• CalSTRS Says Cost of California Sovereign Wealth Funds Bill Would Be Billions (blog)
• Some Residents Question Evanston, Illinois Council's Tax Increase to Deal With Pension Deficit
• Millions in Retirement Benefits May Be Restored to Maine State Employees
• More Than Double Dipping in Florida? (op-ed)
• New Estimate Says Retirees Need $225k for Medical Bills (blog)
• Will the Presidential Contenders Choose Pork or Retirement Security?
• Presidential Candidate Comments in Forbes on Deficits and Entitlements

March 5, 2008

• Clovis, California Wrestles With $3 Million Shortfall; Employee 'Give Backs,' Service Cuts Considered
• Vallejo: Impetuous, Imprudent, In Trouble (column)
• Police, Fire Employee Benefits Bankrupt Vallejo -- Gilroy Next? (editorial - Gilroy Dispatch)
• Vallejo Deal Has Its Weaknesses, But Worth a Try (editorial - Times Herald)
• What Do We Know About the Universe of State and Local Public Pension Plans? (brief)
• The Year's Scariest Investing News: PBGC's New Investment Strategy (column)
• The Retirement Crisis: $2 Trillion in Home Equity Losses (video)
• Rocky Markets Highlight Retirement Insecurity
• Greek Workers' Strike Over Pension Reform Closes Stock Market, Threatens Power Cuts
• Irish Government to Stop Investing Pension Funds in Cluster Bombs

March 4, 2008

• Vallejo, California Okays Stopgap Plan to Avoid Immediate Bankruptcy
• Vallejo, California Officials Approve Fiscal Emergency Plan
• Vallejo City Leaders Benefiting From System They Denounce (letter)
• San Diego/city: Mayor Proposes Dramatic Changes to Pension Plans for New Employees
• California State Workers' Pay Hikes Soar - for Some
• Newspaper Puts Searchable Database of California State Workers' Wages Online
• California Appeal Court Backs Newspaper's Bid for Marin County's Public Employee Payroll Info
• California Legislator Introduces Pension Bill to Implement Commission's Recommendations
• Warren Buffet Has Harsh Words for State and Local Governments' Pension Promises
• States and Cities Start Rebelling on Bond Ratings
• Medicare: the $34 Trillion Problem

March 3, 2008

• California Pension Reform Group Makes Recommendations to Solve Vallejo's Fiscal Crisis
• Fresno County Pension Funding Lacking; Workers Will Be Asked to Contribute More Again
• More of California's Local Agencies Caught in Bond Turmoil
• Bush Deficit Widens to Record as Treasuries Deter US Pension Funds
• Report to Senate Finance Committee Says Many States Are Lax in Funding Their Pension Plans
• Big Oil's Profits Go Into the Pension and Retirement Accounts of Ordinary Citizens (op-ed)
• One Cheer for Evanston, Illinois' City Council on Pension Issue (blog)
• West Virginia's Local Governments Must Do Their Part to Address Pension Problems (editorial - Herald-Dispatch)
• Police Officers Will Pay the Price if Utah Pension Bill Passes, Says Officer (op-Ed)
• New Jersey's Warning About Budget Gimmickry (editorial - New York Times)
• Pennsylvania Pension Funds Outperform US Stock, Bond Market Indexes
• Georgia's First Black Police Officers May Take Pension Battle to Court

March 2, 2008

• Vallejo, California Teeters on the Brink of Bankruptcy (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Vallejo Will Not Get Federal Bailout, Says Congressman
• Politics Taint Illinois Teachers' Retirement System Board
• Tularosa, Texas to Vote on Tax Increase to Fund Pensions
• Wisconsin Assembly Allows Pension Bonds for Milwaukee County (blog)
• Wausau, Wisconsin's Teacher Contract Won't Stave Off Crisis (editorial - Daily Herald)

February 29, 2008

• Vallejo, California and Labor Unions Reach Tentative Pact; Could Head Off Bankruptcy
• Vallejo Officials Should Sit Down to Negotiate (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• Vexed in Vallejo (editorial - San Francisco Chronicle)
• San Diego/city: Transcript Shows Council Gave City Attorney OK to Pursue Pension Case on His Own
• San Diego/city: Council's Stalemate Threatens Economic Recovery (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Evanston, Illinois Approves Tax Hike to Deal With Pension Fund Shortfall
• California Bill Targets Sovereign Wealth Funds
• CalPERS to Boost Commodity Investments Through 2010
• Kentucky House Approves Plan to Attack $26.6 Billion Pension Shortfall by 96-0 Vote
• Don't Give Break to West Virginia's Legislators (editorial - Intelligencer)

February 28, 2008

• Tapped Out in Vallejo, California: City Officials Weigh Bankruptcy Filing
• Evanston, Illinois' New Budget Includes Hike in Gas, Property Taxes to Deal With Pension Shortfall
• Texas Retirement Fund Adopts Policy on Investing in Sudan and Iran
• Healthy Companies' Moves to Halt Traditional Pensions a Sign Retirement Costs Now Fall on Employee

February 27, 2008

• Vallejo, California City Manager Recommends Bankruptcy as Labor Talks Break Off
• Visalia, California Employees Accuse City of Reneging on Health Benefits (editorial - Times-Delta)
• No Quick Fix to Joliet, Illinois' $100 Million Pension Underfunding, Says City Official
• Kentucky's $26.6 Billion Pension Mess (editorial - Louisville Courier-Journal)
• Kentucky Governor's Pension Reform Plan Clears First Legislative Hurdle
• Charleston, West Virginia City Officials Back New Tax to Aid Pensions
• Kentucky Governor's Pension Reform Plan Clears First Legislative Hurdle
• Federal Prosecutors Go After Former Wisconsin Legislator's Pension

February 26, 2008

• San Francisco Supervisors to Vote on Retiree Health Care Curb for New Hires
• San Diego/city: Council Abandons Pay Raise Proposal
• Thousands of Florida State Workers, Officials Use Loophole to Double-Dip on Salary, Pension
• Reaction to Kentucky Pension Overhaul Is Positive
• Kentucky, New Jersey Pensions Take Toll (editorial - Cincinnati Enquirer)

February 25, 2008

• A Vallejo, California Bankruptcy Could Have Far-Reaching Impact
• Vallejo, California Not Alone in Facing Cash Crunch Caused by Retiree Benefits
• Pension Bond Backfires on Sacramento County, California (column)
• San Diego/city: Judge Issues, Then Withdraws, Ruling Against City Attorney in Pension Case
• San Diego/city: Council Seeks New Way to Raise Its Pay Despite Budget, Pension Woes
• 'Aggressive Assumptions' by Actuary Blamed for Evanston, Illinois' Pension Crisis
• SIEU Urges State Pension Funds to Invest in Domestic Infrastructure
• Dana Corp. Latest Revived Company to Retain Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• PBGC Has New Investment Plan to Be Fully-Funded Within 10 Years
• Cost of Public Pensions in UK Will Exceed £1 Trillion
• US to Assist Azerbaijan in Establishing a Pension System

February 22, 2008

• Vallejo, California's Finances on the Brink
• Visalia, California Raises Retirees' Share of Health Costs
• Orange, California School District Votes to Offer Generous Retirement Buyout
• Orange County, California Investments Lose Market Value as Fund Nears Default
• Turbulent Wall Street Erodes New Jersey Pension Funds by $4 Billion
• Evanston, Illinois Looks at New Taxes, Fees and Budget Cuts to Deal With $140 Million Pension Liability
• Joliet, Illinois Police and Firefighters Address Pension Funding Decline
• Kentucky's Proposed Pension Reform Plan Reduces Benefits for Future Workers
• Kentucky's Governor Sends Pension Plan to State Legislature (press release)
• View the Slide Show Outlining Proposed Changes to Kentucky's Public Pension System (pdf)
• North Carolina Treasurer Defends Pensions; State Workers Group Given Records
• West Virginia Teacher Pension Bill OK'd by House, Sent to Senate
• Public Employee Benefits for Younger vs. Older Workers (column by Girard Miller)
• Bond Crisis Already Crimping Cities and States
• Boomers Have Changed the Nature of Work, Why Not the Nature of Retirement? (column)

February 21, 2008

• Getting Tougher About Pension Retroactivity in California (column by Girard Miller)
• Vallejo, California in Danger of Declaring Bankruptcy
• Supreme Court Allows Suit Over 401(k) Losses
• States' Pension Returns Could Be Hit by Market Volatility, Says S&P
• Contra Costa Fire District Should Rescind $105,000 Purchase of Sport Coats (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• San Diego/city: Council to Turn Over Paperwork for Pension Litigation to California State Bar Association
• Tax Hike Needed to Fix Pensions in Springfield, Illinois (editorial - News-Leader)
• Joliet, Illinois Looks at Police and Fire Pension Debt
• Bill Would Alter Kentucky's Pension System, Primarily for New Hires
• Mayor of Covington, Kentucky Says Pension Costs Are Sapping Cities (op-ed)
• Mayor of Covington Suggests Four-Point Pension Solution for Kentucky's Counties and Cities
• Two Former New Jersey Mayors' Pensions Docked
• Proposal Would Invest Minnesota's Public Employee Pension Funds in Start-Ups

February 20, 2008

• Vallejo, California Budget Crisis May Lead City to Bankruptcy
• Vallejo, California's Financial Woes Prompt Fire, Police Staff to Retire
• Vallejo, California on Brink of Bankruptcy Due to Pay, Pension and Benefit Costs
• New Trustee Selected for CalPERS
• Future Kenrucky State Workers Might Face Higher Pension Costs
• Sick Pay Inflates Many Pensions in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
• Federal Court Rules CIGNA Misled Employees Over Pension Plan Change
• New FASB Rule Would Require Better Corporate Pension Disclosure (column)

February 19, 2008

• Trustees of San Jose, California's Pension Plans Fight Audit of Travel Expenses
• Draft of Kentucky's Pension Reform Plan Shows New Employees Working Longer, Contributing More (blog)
• 1 Man + 5 Jobs = A Government Pension and Angry Long Island Taxpayers (video, Too)
• New 401(k) Debit Card Draws Red Flags From Financial Planners
• Most Americans Unprepared for Retirement

February 18, 2008

• Pension Costs Eat Up Budget of Pacific Grove, California
• Time for for Full Disclosure of Price of California's Public Employees' Salaries and Benefits (column)
• California's Prison Guards Have Key to the State's Treasury (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Pension Mandates in Illinois' Quad Cities May Force a Cut in Services
• Mayor of Springfield, Illinois Gets Attention With Fiery Pension Rhetoric (column)
• Philadelphia Mayor's $4.5 Billion Pension Bond Proposal a Drastic Step (editorial - Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Stop New York School Districts' Pension Pay Scam (editorial - Newsday)
• New York City's Mayor Bloomberg Backs Early Pensions for Teachers
• New Legislation Would Help Stabilize Pensions for West Virginia Cities
• West Virginia Governor's Pension Proposal Better Than Legislature's (editorial - News-Register)

February 15, 2008

• Philadelphia's Mayor Proposes $4.5 Billion Pension Bond to Trim Unfunded Liability
• Cost of Federal Government's Benefits for Seniors Up 24%
• FASB Seeks the Full Monty on Pension Plan Assets
• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Pension Fund Loses $56 Million
• There's Little That Springfield, Illinois Can Do to Change Pension Rules (editorial - Journal-Regster)
• Cap New Jersey's Paid State Holidays at 10 (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• Greek Prime Minister Says Pension Reform Is Imperative

February 14, 2008

• CalPERS, CalSTRS Target Climate Change
• Northwestern University Rebuffs Plea by City of Evanston, Illinois for Aid
• Retired Pennsylvania State Workers Facing Health Care Shift
• Springfield, Illinois Recruits an Expert to Head Pension Commission
• 'Pension Tension Blues' Music Video Debuts (blog)

February 13, 2008

• California's Generosity to Prison Guards Must End (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Coachella Valley Vector Control Board Members Seek Taxpayer-Paid Health Benefits
• State and Local Governments Must Address Unfunded Health Care Liabilities, Says Think Tank
• Nevada State Employees Should Pay More Toward Benefits (editorial - Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Bergen County, New Jersey Looks at Layoffs and Tax Increases to Cover Budget Shortfall
• Viewing Health Care Spending Through a Crystal Ball
• Bad Bets and Accounting Flaws Bring Staggering Losses for Hedge Funds
• Strike Against Pension Reform Paralyzes Greece

February 12, 2008

• Report Says California Shouldn't Give Prison Guards a Pay Raise (column)
• Stop the California Prison Guards' Gravy Train (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• Orange County Sheriffs' Union President Rebutts Editorial on Pension Rollback (op-Ed)
• West Virginia's Governor Reveals Merger of Teacher Pension Plans
• West Virginia's Teacher Pension Merger: How We Got Here (audio)
• West Virginia Governor's Teacher Pension Bill Poses Questions
• Pew Trust Responds to Union Criticism of Philadelphia Benefits Study (letter)
• Public Employee Pension Info Open Again in North Carolina (editorial - Charlotte Observer)
• As Paid Benefits Shrink, Businesses Boost Menu of Voluntary Offerings
• Czech Cabinet Approves Change to Pension System Raising Retirement Age

February 11, 2008

• Time for California Legislature to Say 'No' to Increase in Prison Guards' Pay and Benefits (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Retired California Teachers to Fight Governor's Budget-Cutting Plan
• San Diego/city: Will Mayor Seek an End to the DROP Retirement Program for Current Employees? (blog)
• Public Employee Pension Plans Pose a Threat to Santa Barbara County (letter)
• Monterey Park District's Head Makes More Than California's Governor
• Former Sheriff of Broward County, Florida Stripped of $134,500-A-Year Pension
• Local and State Governments Are Overly Generous to Employees (editorial - Orlando Sentinel)
• Evanston, Illinois to Consider New Taxes and Fees, Service Cuts to Fund Pensions
• In Arizona, Teachers' Return to Work After Retirement Stirs Pension Fight
• Bonds for Babies: Democrats Discover the Ownership Society
• Mortgage Crisis Fallout Spreads to Municipal Bond Market
• Employer Cutbacks Have Retirees Facing More Health-Care Costs

February 8, 2008

• California Should Plan Now for Future Retiree Benefits (editorial - San Jose Mercury News)
• Rhode Island Pension Commission Holds First Meeting to Address 'Major, Major Deficit'
• Governments on Martha's Vinyard, Massachusetts Face Budget-Busting OPEB Costs
• Employers Around the Globe Struggle With Health Costs
• It's Politicians Who Keep Making Health Insurance More Expensive (op-ed)

February 7, 2008

• San Francisco Supervisors Hear Long-Term Plan to Deal With 'Fiscal Time Bomb' of Retiree Benefits
• Government Spending -- They All Do It (editorial - Topeka Capital-Journal)
• Pension Bonds Vital to Milwaukee County, Say Task Force Co-Chairs (op-ed)
• Universal Pension Plan Explored

February 6, 2008

• Retired Public Employees Face Fewer Benefits, Higher Costs in Cash-Strapped Sonoma County, California
• $3 Trillion in Retiree Obligations Cloud Fiscal Horizon for States
• San Francisco Police Pension Measure Wins
• Ballot Measure May Address San Francisco's $4.2 Billion OPEB Deficit
• Evanston, Illinois Voters Defeat Tax to Fund Pension Deficit
• Hard Choices Exist for Benton, Arkansas Officials
• Commercial Property Woes Hit Pension Funds, Says Report

February 5, 2008

• California Research Bureau Issues Report on Actuarial Practices for Public Employee Benefits (press release)
• San Diego/city: Unions Bracing for Tough Bargaining
• San Diego/city: Elected Officials' Raises Could Be Placed on June Ballot
• Evanston, Illinois Votes Today on Tax to Fill $140 Million Pension Shortfall
• Trying to Clear Fog From Corporate Pension Plans

February 4, 2008

• Chicago Area Pension Funds Now Face $18 Billion Unfunded Liability
• Maryland Is $16.2 Billion Short in Retiree Payouts
• Wisconsin Taxpayers Left to Pick Up the Tab for Inability to Pay Retirement Costs
• Tackling a Major Burden for Connecticut's Taxpayers: Ballooning Pension Costs (editorial - Connecticut Post)
• Judge Rejects Pension Lawsuit by Federal Workers in Hawaii and Alaska
• How Federal Workers in Hawaii and Alaska Angle for a 'High Three' Pension Payoff
• A Spoonful of History to Soothe Economic Throes (column)

February 2, 2008

• State, Local Government Workers See Pay Gains Push Far Ahead of Private Sector
• Independent Audit Finds Orange County Investment Pool Well Managed
• Read the Report: 'Complete Independent Risk Analysis Report for Orange County' (pdf)
• Commission Urges Congress to Overhaul Military Pay and Pensions
• Commission Recommendations on Military Pensions 'Not What We'd Call Pension Reform' (blog)

February 1, 2008

• Orange County, California Case Key to Public Pensions (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Ohio Legislation Increases Retirement Age, Decreases Benefits for Nonteaching New Hires
• Astounding Consensus Forms Around Plan for South Carolina's Pension System (column)
• Public Employee Pension, Healthcare Costs Help Squeeze Macomb County, Michigan's Budget
• Michigan State Pension Funds as Business Investor Debated
• Evanston, Illinois' Pension Crisis Was Avoidable (editorial - Daily Northwestern)
• Hainesville, Illinois Wants Opinions on Public Employee Pensions

January 31, 2008

• Contra Costa County to Cut Services, Increase Employee Health Premiums to Balance Budget
• St. Louis, Missouri Sales-Tax Hike Would Help Shrink $20 Million Annual Pension Deficit
• Evanston, Illinois Faces Tough Budget Choices to Deal With Pension Shortfall
• Just Like the Movies: Minneapolis Cops and Shaky Pension Funds Rattle City Hall
• Dartmouth, Massachusetts Needs Tax Increase to Pay for Benefits (editorial - Standard Times)
• CalPERS' International Shift Comes at the Right Time, Says Exec
• Rocky Markets Hit Pension Funds Hard
• Congress Helps Itself, Again, With Unconstitutional Pay Raise
• Pension Gap in UK Between Public and Private Sector Looks 'Unsustainable'
• British National Health System Looks at Denying Care to Elderly, Obese (editorial - Investor's Business Daily)

January 30, 2008

• Orange County Supervisors Approve Lawsuit to Roll Back Deputies' Pensions
• Orange County Supervisors Will Sue in Effort to Cut Deputy Sheriffs' Retroactive Pensions
• California Legislators Introduce Bills to Implement Pension Commission Recommendations
• Kentucky's Governor to Offer Separate Plan for $18 Billion Pension Shortfall
• Michigan Governor Proposes Using Pension Funds to Spark Growth
• North Carolina Pensions Go Under Wraps
• Benefits Plan Design & Strategies: 2008's Top Topics Include OPEB (column)
• VEBAs: Union Slush Funds for the 21st Century

January 29, 2008

• No Time to Throw in Towel on Orange County Pension Rollback (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Orange County's Investment Pool Is Safe, Says Outside Consultant
• Stratford, Connecticut Targeting Inflated Public Pensions
• Philadelphia's Pension System Stinks ... but It's Not as Bad as Pittsburgh's (blog)
• New Mexico's Pension Fund Going Broke in a Hurry (op-ed)
• New York Pension Funds' Lawsuit Against Countrywide Expanded

January 28, 2008

• Orange County Supervisors to Consider Legal Challenge to 2001 Pension Spike Tomorrow (blog)
• Orange County Deputies Union Wants Another Opinion Before Pension Vote (blog)
• California's Retirement Benefits Are Not Excessive, Says Police Union President (op-ed)
• CalPERS' Chief Expects Flat Performance in '08
• CalPERS, San Francisco Funds Look to Emerging Markets in India and China
• Springfield, Missouri Considers Sales Tax Increase to Fix $70 Million Pension Deficit (editorial - News-Leader)
• In Wake of Failed West Virginia Pension Merger, Teachers Say They Can't Retire
• Evanston, Illinois Considers Cutting Programs to Fund Pensions
• Pensions, Politics & Benefits Tax Policy: 2008's Top Topics (column)

January 26, 2008

• CalPERS, CalSTRS Investments Hit by Wall Street Sell-Off
• Ohio Public Employees' Pension Fund Sues Freddie Mac
• Springfield, Illinois Mayor Describes Looming Police, Fire Pension Funding Crisis
• New Issue Brief: 'Why Have Some States Introduced Defined Contribution Plans?'

January 25, 2008

• Orange County Pension Reform Plan Could Save Hundreds of Millions (blog)
• Palm Desert, California May Cut Retiree Health Benefits
• Rhode Island Pension Costs Studied

January 24, 2008

• Investing in a Pension Rollback in Orange County (editorial - Press-Telegram)
• California's Public Employee Benefits Commission Paints Grim Picture (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Study Says Employee Health and Pension Costs Will Drain Philadelphia's Resources to Tackle Other Problems
• Report Finds Philadelphia's Pension and Health Care Costs for Public Employees Growing at Unsupportable Rates (press release)
• Read the Pew Study: 'Philadelphia's Quiet Crisis' (pdf)
• Raynham, Massachusetts Predicts Budget Squeeze Due to Pension, Benefits Increases

January 23, 2008

• Orange County, California Has Paid Attorneys $500,000 to Challenge Pension Pact With Deputies
• Texas Teachers' Pension Fund Chief Has New Plan for Raising Returns
• Colorado's Largest Public Pension Fund Backs Iran Divestment
• Older Workers Returning to Jobs
• UK Pension Fund Gains for 2007 Wiped Out

January 22, 2008

• CalPERS Harbors Hedge Fund Hope
• Issue of Unfunded Pension Liability Reawakens in Alaska's Legislature
• West Virginia Legislature Should Tackle Cities' Pension Woes Before They Get Worse (editorial - Herald-Dispatch)
• State Retirees Protest Pennsylvania Governor's Measure to Cut Benefits
• Sensible Pension Idea for Milwaukee County (editorial - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• Biggest Public Pension Funds Can Take Stakes in Wall Street Banks
• New Pension Accounting: Volatility City for Companies?

January 21, 2008

• Paying for Public Employee Benefits Up Front Will Keep California's Spending in Focus (column)
• Caging the Pension Beast in Waterbury, Connecticut (editorial - Republican-American)
• Milwaukeee County, Wisconsin Plan to Issue $267 Million in Pension Obligation Bonds Headed for Approval
• Evanston, Illinois Wants to Raise Taxes to Fund Pension Deficit
• Indicted Oklahoma State Official's Pension Could Hinge on an Oath
• Long Career Affords Ex-Senator Trent Lott 80% of Final Salary
• IBM Freeze May Mark an End to Traditional Private Sector Pensions
• More Employers Seek Out Seniors
• House Panel Studies Bill to Save Public-Employees' Social Security Benefits
• Lawmakers, Witnesses Debate Fairness of Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision
• Will Aging Boomers Lose Social Security, Medicare Benefits?

January 18, 2008

• Rhode Island Governor Proposes Reforms for State's Retirement System
• CalPERS Insurance Coverage Change Puts Squeeze on Some Residents in Lake County, California
• Milwaukee County Pension Dealings Could Bring Criminal Investigation by State
• Evanston, Illinois' Pension Fund Gets $50,000 Donation; Still $63 Million Short
• Evanston, Illinois Faces Cuts in Services to Fund Pensions
• Acushnet, Massachusetts Squeezed by Escalating Pension, Health Costs

January 17, 2008

• Why Does Indicted Orange County Ex-Sheriff Get a Pension? (column)
• Older Workers Are Turning to Government for Secure Jobs With Good Benefits
• The Pensions Crunch (editorial - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
• 500-Pound NYPD Officer Loses Disability Pension Bid
• Is Your Pension Fund Supporting Genocide? (op-ed)
• Quebec Pensions Face Crisis, Says Actuarial Report

January 16, 2008

• Indicted Orange County Sheriff to Get Full $200,000 Pension No Matter What (blog)
• Hikes in Pension Contributions, Possible Plan Freezes Loom for US Corporations
• Legislation to Protect Public Employees' Social Security Benefits to Be Heard
• Connecticut Commission to Vote on $2 Billion in Pension Bonds
• North Carolina Court Case Would Stop State From Diverting Pension Funds
• Older Baby Boomers Caught All the Breaks

January 15, 2008

• Big Health-Care Liability Has California Considering Pre-Funding
• States' Public Employee Healthcare Burden May Be Wall Street's Gold
• Public Boards in New York Must Rein in Employee Health Costs (editorial - Utica Observer-Dispatch)

January 14, 2008

• Orange County Taxpayers Association Hands Out Cheers and Jeers for Pension and Benefit Actions (op-ed)
• San Diego/city: Mayor Says Services, Jobs May Face Cutbacks as Deficits Remain Big Part of Fiscal Future
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Vows to Continue Pension Fight
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Says Finances Still Aren't Improving
• Sutter County's Pension Plan Is Extravagant Compared With Federal, State and Teachers' Plans (op-ed)
• Chicago Mayor Appoints Commission to Solve $10 Billion Pension Crisis
• Chicago Pension Commission Comprised of City Heavyweights
• Nevada Panel Expands Benefits but Fails to Address $10 Billion in Unfunded Liabilities (editorial - Review-Journal)
• Jackson County, Kansas Pension Fund Faces $54 Million Shortfall
• Public Pension Funds and Retirement Plan Investors Face a Challenging Year (column by Girard Miller)
• Pensions for Everyone (op-ed)

January 11, 2008

• San Diego/city: Removal of Pension Case Judge Requested by Federal Prosecutors
• Philadelphia's Mayor Urged to Suspend Controversial DROP Pension Perk
• Healthcare Costs Topped $2 Trillion in 2006
• Aging Boomers to Strain Ohio Beginning in 2012, Says Study

January 10, 2008

• Californians Can No Longer Afford Extravagant Perks for State Employees (editorial - North County Times)
• California Public Employee Unions' Gravy Train Has Got to Be Derailed (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• California Report Presumes Taxpayers Must Bear the Burden of Escalating Public Pension and Healthcare Costs (editorial - Los Angeles Times)
• If We Think Things in California Are Bad Now, Just Wait (blog)
• Someone's Aiming to Curb California's Public Employee Pension Excesses (blog)
• Rhode Island's House Speaker Wants a Panel to Study the State's $4.9 Billion Pension Deficit
• Members of Congress Get $4,100 Pay Raise
• Texas Pension Funds Name Sudan-Tied Holdings
• Texas Teachers' Pension Fund Is Silent on Subprime, Cdo Losses (blog)
• 'Subprime' Named Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society

January 9, 2008

• California Public Agencies May Have to Choose Between Services and Benefits for Retirees
• San Diego/city: Ex-Union Leader's Retirement Package Taken Away
• Texas Pension Funds Identify Sudan-Linked Holdings

January 8, 2008

• California State and Local Governments Face Liabilities of $118 Billion for Retiree Healthcare, Commission Report Says
• California Benefits Commission Announces 8-Point Plan to Address Pension, Retiree Healthcare Obligations (press release)
• Commission Urges California to Set Aside $1.2 Billion Annually for Future Healthcare Costs
• California Report Recommends Setting Money Aside Rather Than Cutting Benefits
• Huge Liability for Retiree Benefits Emerges as California Prepares to Grapple With $14 Billion Budget Shortfall
• California's Employee Benefit Burden Grows Ever-Heavier (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Pension-OPEB Problem Typifies California's Ever-Expanding List of Critical Issues (column)
• Bill for California's Employee Benefits Is Due -- and It's Only Going to Grow (column)
• California Pension Commission Split by Ideological Differences
• Read the 332-Page Report of California's Public Employee Post-Employment Benefits Commission (pdf)
• Kentucky Lawmakers Must Tackle Pension Problem Before It Becomes Crisis (editorial - Ashland Daily Independent)
• Pennsylvania Pension Funds Urged to Divest From Sudan

January 7, 2008

• San Jose, California City Council Likely to Delay Retiree Benefit Change
• Over 100 Firefighters in Boston, Massachusetts Getting Enhanced Disability Pensions
• For New Jersey Pension Fund, No Iran-Linked Investments
• Wheeling, West Virginia Pension Fund in the Black
• EEOC's Hard Win Against a Wrongheaded AARP on Retiree Health Coverage (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Health Benefits and Retirees (editorial - New York Times)
• IBM Pension Freeze Has Ripple Effects in Retirement System
• Debate Continues Over Whether 401(k) Can Match IBM Pensions
• Golden Pensions Hit British Police Forces
• Irish Pension Funds Take a Beating

January 4, 2008

• Report of California's Post-Employment Benefits Commission to Be Released Monday
• New Hampshire Commission Says Pension System Needs More Fixes
• San Diego/county: County Pension Fund Gets S&P's Highest Credit Rating
• State Street Corp. Is Sued Over Pension Fund Losses
• Florida to Make More Money in Investment Pool Liquid
• US Curtailing Bids by States to Expand Medicaid Rolls

January 3, 2008

• Contra Costa County Public Workers' Current Pension System Flawed (op-ed)
• $3 Million in Federal Funds Misspent by San Diego Schools on Bonuses for Retirees, Audit Finds
• Kentucky Legislators Haven't Agreed on How to Solve $18 Billion Pension Shortfall
• Evanston, Illinois Budget Proposes 15% Tax Hike to Address Unfunded Pension Liabilities
• US Presidential Candidates Adrift on 'Silver Tsunami' of Retiring Baby Boomers

January 2, 2008

• How Subprime Lending All Started in Orange County, California
• With Investment Pool Frozen, Florida Towns Feel the Pinch
• Sutter County Supervisor's Figures Just Don't Add Up (letter)
• Bush Signs Sudan Divestment Bill
• Traditional Pensions Can Curb Enthusiastic Teaching (column)
• State Pension Issue Looms for Kentucky Legislature
• Cronyism to the Rescue in Massachusetts (editorial - Boston Globe)
• Baby Boomers Begin to Claim Social Security (with audio)
• In UK, 'Goldplated' Pensions for Public Employees Outnumber Private Sector by 5 to 1

January 1, 2008

• Happy New Year!

December 31, 2007

• Speak Up, Mr. Buffett, on the Lack of Transparency in Government Finance (editorial - Wall Street Journal - Subscription Req'd)
• 5% of Connecticut Tax Dollars Go to Government Retiree Health Care Costs
• Abolish Massachusetts' Income Tax (column)
• As Boomers Leave the Workforce, Michigan Has to Prepare (editorial - Detroit Free Press)
• Evanston, Illinois' Finance Director Quits Abruptly as City Looks at Pension Liabilities
• Pension Bonds for Kentucky 'A Plan for Failure' (letter)
• Negotiations Planned to Discuss Irish Pension Crisis

December 28, 2007

• Pension Plans of Sutter County, California Are in Good Shape, Says County Supervisor (op-ed)
• Duluth, Minnesota to Switch Retirees to Less Generous Health-Care Plan
• Pension Deals Are Still the Norm at Massachusetts' Statehouse (editorial - Salem News)
• Healthcare Faces Pivotal Year in 2008, Says PriceWaterhouseCoopers (press release)
• At Last, Some Good News . . . Britain's Pensions Are Back in the Black

December 27, 2007

• Many Retirees May Lose Health Benefits From Employers Based on New EEOC Ruling
• Santa Clara, San Mateo Counties' Healthcare Liability for Retirees Not as Bad as Most in California
• Indiana's State Employee Pensions Are 99% Funded, but Teachers' Fund Is Only at 44%
• Pennsylvania's Pension Issue Needs Solution (editorial - Republican & Herald)
• Stakes Becoming Too High for Social Security to Fail (op-ed)

December 26, 2007

• San Diego/city: Pension and Benefit Stakes Are High With City Hall's Labor Contracts Ending
• An Update on Chula Vista, California's Solvency (blog)
• CalSTRS New Headquarters Building in Sacramento to Cost $275 Million
• Louisiana's Budget Surplus Is Just an Illusion With $10 Billion Pension Deficit (editorial - Daily Advertiser)
• Government Pensions Are Not Cheap for Ohio's Taxpayers (editorial - Dayton Daily News)
• Philadelphia's Mayor Gets Big Payday From City

December 25, 2007

• Britain's Oldest Worker Enjoys His First Christmas Off -- At the Age of 105
• December 25, 1776: The Story of Washington's Crossing and the Miracle at Trenton
• December 25, 1776: Sobering Thoughts on the Battle of Trenton
• In Defense of Ebenezer Scrooge

December 24, 2007

• Special Commission Sends Kentucky Legislature a Plan to Solve Public Pension Crisis
• Whiffing at Kentucky's Pension Crisis (editorial - Louisville Courier-Journal)
• Please, Santa, Put a Real Retirement Plan in Kentucky's Stocking (column)
• Pension Crisis Plagues Nation, Not Just Orange County, California (blog)
• San Diego/city: Pension Board Adopts Plan to Comply With Tax Law
• Los Angeles Phone-Tax Measure Would Benefit Bureaucrats Most (editorial - Daily News)
• Pew Report Slams Oklahoma's $11.4 Billion Underfunded Pension System
• Rhode Island Ranks 2nd to Last in Pension Financing
• Delaware Marked High for Setting Aside Public Employee Pension Funds, but ... (editorial - News Journal)
• Pension Contribution Rate No Gift to Pennsylvania School Districts
• The Pensions Crunch (editorial - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
• Subprime Mortgage Meltdown Claims First Pension Fund Head in Florida (editorial - Pensions & Investments)
• Lifetime Health Benefits for Road Commissioners Debated in Traverse County, Michigan
• Funded Status of Corporate Pension Plans Improving, Says CIEBA Survey
• Pension Troubles in Natick, Massachusetts (editorial - Daily News Tribune)
• City of Milwaukee's Pension Fund Lauded (editorial - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• British Airport Workers Vote to Strike Over Pensions

December 21, 2007

• The Federal Deficit: A Fiscal Picture That Calls for Exclamation Points (blog)
• Orange County, California Treasurer Tripled Stake in Controversial Investments
• UPS and Teamsters Extend Pension Deal

December 20, 2007

• $45 Trillion Gap Seen in Social Security, Medicare and Other US Benefit Programs
• Ohio's Public Employees Must Pay More Toward Health Care (editorial - News-Herald)
• Pew Report Blasts New Jersey's Pension Shortfall
• Indiana Pension Fund $10 Billion Short, Says Pew Study
• Open Reporting on Benefits Gives West Virginia Taxpayers a Chance to See What's Being Done to Them (editorial - Charleston Daily Mail)
• Utah Ranks Well in Pew Study of Public Pension Systems
• NEW: Pensionwatch Blog Launched

December 19, 2007

• California Facing Huge $48 Billion Tab in Promises to Retirees
• Almost Half of States Have Been Underfunding Pensions, Says New Pew Study
• Pew Study Finds States Face $2.73 Trillion Bill for Retiree Benefits (press release)
• Pension Pressure: Interview With Sue Urahn of the Pew Center (video)
• Read the Complete Pew Report (pdf)
• Kentucky's Pension Commission Holds Marathon Meeting Debating Recommendations on $18 Billion Shortfall (blog)
• Cost of Mehlville, Missouri Fire District Benefits to Decrease After Reforms
• Majority of Corporate Pension Plans Healthy, Survey Reveals

December 18, 2007

• Springfield, Missouri Puts $500,000 Towards $70 Million Pension Liability
• Texas Pension Fund Could Sell Shares in Companies Linked to Iran, Sudan
• Forget About Divestment (column)
• Michigan Compensates Its Public Employees Better Than Most Other States, Says Study
• Study Finds Substantial Pension Gap in Belgium Between Public and Private Sector Employees

December 17, 2007

• California's Budget Crisis Even Worse Than Reported When Unfunded Health Benefits Are Included (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• California's Public Employee Pension Rules Are Ripe for Change (column)
• Why the Big Differences Between Public and Private Sector Pension Plans? (column)
• Michigan Needs to Get With Private-Sector Cuts (column)
• Tacoma, Washington Council May Vote Itself Health Benefits
• Springfield, Illinois Council Must Take Head-On Approach to Pension Crisis, Says Mayor (op-ed)
• Retirement Age for Pilots Raised to 65
• Pension Funds, the New Riverboat Gamblers (column)
• Mellon Report Says US Pension Plan Funding Dropped in November
• National Debt Grows $1 Million a Minute

December 14, 2007

• Public/Private Benefit Gaps: The Big Lie (column)
• Orange County, California's Investments Remain Secure, Says Treasurer (op-ed)
• Shades of Gray Davis: California's Red Ink Includes $50 Billion in Unfunded Pension Liabilities (column)
• CalPERS May Move $29 Billion Out of Stocks and Bonds
• Audit of Springfield, Missouri Pension Fund Faults Accrual of Vacation, Holiday Time for $70 Million Shortfall
• Springfield, Missouri Pension Fund Generates 11% Return but Shortfall Grows
• Deal With PBGC to Protect Electrolux Pensions
• It's Time Alberta, Canada Killed Off Defined-Benefit Pensions (op-ed)

December 13, 2007

• High Local Government Salaries and Benefits Unfair to Taxpayers (column)
• Further Proof That Government Workers Are Overpaid (column)
• Evanston, Illinois Looks at Two Ways to Address Massive Pension Fund Liability
• Florida Attorney General Says State Pension Fund Is Secure
• Florida Official Says 'Audit the State Pension Fund, Too' (blog)
• Greece: Tens of Thousands March in Strike Over Pension Reform

December 12, 2007

• San Diego/city: Former Auditors Settle With SEC
• San Diego/city: SEC Probe Regains Steam With Auditor's Settlement
• San Diego/city: Scant Accountability Evident in SEC Probe (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Springfield, Illinois May Have to Raise Property Taxes to Keep Up With Fire and Police Pensions
• Defined-Benefit Plans Weak in Private Sector, Strong in Public Sector
• Read the Study: 'Why Have Defined Benefit Plans Survived in the Public Sector?'
• Links to Mortgage-Backed Securities Unclear in Pension Plans
• Tens of Thousands March in Greece Strike Over Pension Reform

December 11, 2007

• Orange County, California's Current Investment Woes Revive Ghost of '94 Bankruptcy
• Ventura County Rejects Grand Jury's Suggestions to Save Money on Pension Plan
• Where Politicians Fear to Tread: GASB and Health Benefits for Retired Public Employees (column)
• Public Pension Benefits Are Haywire (op-ed)
• US Mortgage Crisis Rivals S&L Meltdown of the '80s
• Interest Rate 'Freeze' -- The Real Story Is Fraud
• Hawaii State Pension Fund Deficit Declines Slightly to $5.1 Billion
• Subprime Slide Only Grazes Texas Pension Funds
• Milford, New Hampshire May Pull Out of Under-Funded State Retirement System

December 10, 2007

• San Francisco's Retiree Healthcare Costs Are 'A Fiscal Time Bomb Ready to Explode' Says Supervisor
• Orange County, California's Investments Shunned by Others in State
• Mortgage Mess Dings Orange County's Investments (editorial - Orange County Register)
• California's Pension Commission to Hold Final Meeting Thursday in Los Angeles
• No Easy Fix Seen as 'Decision Day' Looms for Kentucky's Pension Commission on Dec. 18
• Subprime Mess Won't Hurt Pennsylvania's Pension Investments, Says Fund Monitor
• Evanston, Illlinois to Weigh Options to Address Unfunded Pension Liabilities
• Duluth, Minnesota Retiree Donates $9K Toward $300 Million Healthcare Liability
• Fannie Mae Freezes Pension Plan, Revises Retirement Benefits (blog)
• Will Jobs Without Healthcare Become a US Reality?

December 7, 2007

• Florida Fund's Investors Withdraw $1.2 Billion More, but Pullouts Slow
• Alaska Sues Pension Actuary for $1.8 Billion
• It's Not 1929, but It's the Biggest Mess Since (column)
• University of New Brunswick's Pension Problems: Students the Real Losers

December 6, 2007

• Orange County, California's Treasurer in Reversal of Fortune
• Structured Investment Vehicles (SIVs) at Issue in Orange County
• Redding, California Decides to Rein in Retiree Benefits; Shasta County Postpones Decision
• San Diego/city: $2.5 Million-Plus OK'D for Outside Legal Costs
• Florida Investment Chief Quits; Fund Rescue Plan Approved
• Indiana to Launch Investment Pool
• Milwaukee County Pension Boss Fired; Retaliation Over Buyback Disclosures Claimed
• Nitro, West Virginia to Increase Workers' Health Insurance Payments to Cut Deficit
• Businessweek's Pro and Con Debate on Social Security

December 5, 2007

• Credit Crunch Hits Orange County, California's Investment Pool
• Orange County, California Fund Holds SIV Debt Similar to Florida's Investment Pool
• Florida Pension Fund Owns $1 Billion of Same 'Suspect' Debt Held by State's Investment Pool
• San Diego/city: Layoffs to Address Pension Crisis Didn't Eject Workers From City's Rolls
• San Diego/county: Pension Deficit Cut by Nearly One-Third to $832 Million, Says Actuarial Report
• California Pension Commission to Meet Friday in San Diego
• UK Companies Are Increasingly Closing Their Defined-Benefit Pension Plans
• UK Pension Deficits Close, But Longevity Casts Long Shadow

December 4, 2007

• The North Carolina $24 Billion Public Employee Benefits Time Bomb (op-ed)
• Florida Governor Reluctant to Put State Pension Fund Behind $14 Billion Frozen Investment Pool
• Consultants Advise Florida Fund to Split
• Riverside County, California Joins CalPERS Retiree Health Prefunding Plan (press release)
• Pension Fund Litigation Could Slow Investments (column)
• UAW's Retiree Health Benefits Takeover Could Change the Way Care Is Delivered
• Congressional Pensions Explained (column)

December 3, 2007

• Florida Weighs Steps Needed to Lift Freeze on State Investment Fund
• Public Employee Unions Are the Real Bosses of Los Angeles (column)
• Contra Costa County District Attorney and Supervisors Head to the Mat
• Lawsuit Against Hemet, California Dropped by Public Employee Unions After Retiree Health Benefits Are Reinstated
• California Legislators' Pay Raises on Tap Amid Massive Budget Deficit
• CalPERS, CalSTRS Are Teaming With 150 Business Leaders on Climate
• Starting Tab for Texas Retirees' Healthcare Costs: $36.8 Billion
• Pennsylvania's Pension System Heading Over a Cliff
• Philadelphia Parking Authority's Pension Costs Have Quadrupled in 6 Years
• Youngstown, Ohio City Officials Should Refuse Wage Hikes (editorial)
• New York Comptroller Says State Pension Fund's Problems Are in the Past
• Most PBGC Retirees Receive Full Earned Pension Benefit, Study Shows (press release)
• Pension 'Catastrophe' Forecast for UK as Men Live 12 Years Longer Than Expected

December 1, 2007

• Florida Schools Struggle to Pay Teachers Amid Investment Fund Freeze
• California's Pooled Investment Funds Said to Be on Solid Ground
• Moody's Drops Credit Rating of Evanston, Illinois Due to Huge Pension Liabilities
• Los Angeles School District Has $10 Billion in Unfunded Retiree Healthcare Liabilities (blog)
• Private Sector Retirees Blindsided by Out-Of-Pocket Medical Expenses
• Hastert Nets Six-Figure Retirement From Three Pensions

November 30, 2007

• Florida Suspends Withdrawals From Pooled Investment Fund
• Florida Halts Withdrawals From Investment Pool
• Will Your Pension Take Part of the $1 Trillion Hit From the Subprime Meltdown? (blog)
• San Diego/city: Payment to Pension Fund Only a Few Hundred Million Short
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Finds New Manager for Troubled Pension Fund
• Luzerne County, Pennsylvania's Employees Consider Legal Action Over Pension Fund Lawsuit

November 29, 2007

• Florida's State-Run Investment Pool Rocked by $8 Billion Pullout
• Canada's Biggest Pension Fund Manager to Write Down $500 Million in Subprime Debt
• San Diego/city: California Supreme Court to Review Pension Board Case
• San Diego/city: Another Hold-Up for District Attorney's Pension Case
• Texas Pension Trustees Move Toward Iran Divestment
• Critics Question Texas Governor's Iran Divestment Plan
• Future Uncertain for Defined-Benefit Pension Plans in UK, Survey Finds
• Italian Parliament Approves Key Pension Bill
• Greek Government Reveals Pension Reform Proposals

November 28, 2007

• Supreme Court Hears Case of Lost 401(k) Funds
• Adding to Woes of US Stocks, Pension Funds Are Pulling Back
• New Jersey Lawmakers Must Cut Benefits to Cronies (editorial)
• New Jersey Lawmaker Proposes to Scrap Tax Boards' Health and Pension Benefits
• Pension, Health Costs Contribute to Tax Increase in Bergenfield, New Jersey
• Fixing Social Security (op-ed)
• Protests Continue Over Greek Pension Reforms
• VIDEO: Protests Continue Over Greek Pension Reforms

November 27, 2007

• New Series to Focus on Public Pension Plans and Benefits
• CalPERS Could Place Money Over Morality (op-ed)
• Task Force to Tackle Funding of Generous Retiree Benefits in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Longevity Increasing Far More Rapidly Than Previously Predicted, Says UK Study

November 26, 2007

• San Diego: IRS Angle Arises in City's Pension Muddle
• Don't Give Life Health Benefits to School Board Members in Vallejo, California (letter)
• Health Costs Are Threatening Ohio's Pension Systems
• Study of New Jersey Lawmakers' Payrolls Shows Many Friends Earning Just Enough to Draw Pension
• Evanston, Illinois City Council to Weigh Bond Option to Close $140 Million Pension Gap
• Massachusetts State Employees' Pension Fund Dodges Market Bullet
• Retirees of Ball State University in Indiana Receive Health Care for Life Through a VEBA
• Program in University City, Missouri Helps Government Workers Buy Houses
• Supreme Court to Consider Investor's 401(k) Suit Today
• PBGC Misses Out on $4 Billion by Eschewing Stocks in Favor of LDI
• Social Security to Become Key Issue in US General Election
• French Social Security Law Is Passed With New Taxes to Reduce Deficit

November 22, 2007

• The Real Story Behind Thanksgiving

November 21, 2007

• San Diego: City Attorney's Office Sues City's Pension System to Wipe Out Credit Purchase Program
• Bonds Seen Cutting Pension Debt Burden for Evanston, Illinois
• Canadian Public Employee Unions Lose $30 Billion Pension Case Against the Government
• Transport 'Sabotage' Hits France as Strike Against Pension Reform Enters Eighth Day
• Planned Wave of Strikes in Greece Over Pensions to Challenge New Government, Echo Unrest in France

November 20, 2007

• San Diego/city: San Diego to Re-Enter Municipal Bond Market
• 'There Is a Disconnect Between Most Public Sector Employees and Everyone Else'
• Raise New Jersey Lawmakers' Pay When They Earn It (editorial - Home News Tribune)
• New Jersey Task Force's Recommends That Employees Pay More for Health Care
• Rising Health Care Costs See Firms Pushing Employees' Spouses Off Insurance
• Iowans Can Hone Debate on Social Security and Medicare
• Turkish Social Security System Shattering
• With Transit Still Crippled, French Get Testy; Support for Pension Reform Increases 10%

November 19, 2007

• Why Los Angeles Is Going Broke: Employee Salaries, Pensions and Benefits Are Soaring
• Redding, California's Public Pension Costs Move in One Direction: Up (editorial - Record Searchlight)
• San Luis Obispo County May Audit Pension Board to Get a Handle on Spiraling Costs
• Fairness for Retirees (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• New Nevada Health Benefits Law Could Cause Mass Teacher Retirements
• A Big Pay for One-Day Retirement in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Illinois' Out of Control Pensions Must Stop (letter)
• French Strikes Over Pensions Drag on Into Sixth Day
• Thousands Stage 'Stop the Strike' Demonstration in Paris in Support of French President

November 18, 2007

• Social Security Will Be a Big-Time Problem in Less Than a Decade (column)
• Social Security Is Not Broken (op-Ed)
• Social Security Train Wreck Ahead, Unless (commentary)
• The American People Want Social Security Reform (commentary)

November 17, 2007

• California Pension Commission Stumped by Dispute Over 'Spiked' Benefits
• San Diego/city: Pension Board Says City Should Absorb Cost of Perks
• San Diego/city: Perks Amount to $146 Million of City's $1 Billion Pension Shortfall
• Chicago Transit Workers May Strike Over Pensions, Health Care
• French Transit Unions Protest Pension Reforms for Fourth Day

November 16, 2007

• Pension Costs to Rise $575,000 for Redding, California
• Court Rebuff Ends California's Fight Over $200 Million of Interest Owed to CalSTRS
• Researchers Find That Experienced Teachers Reap the Benefits of Pension Spikes, Then Retire
• GE Pension Fund Knocked by Losses of $200 Million
• Are Some Airlines Tying Fuel Conservation to Pilot Pension Funds?
• A Health Plan for Wal-Mart: Less Stinginess
• France Endures Third Strike Day Over Pension Reforms
• French Strikes Show That Support for Reform Breaks Down When It Hits Home (editorial)
• Alberta, Canada Offers Teachers Deal to Settle $6.4 Billion Pension Liability
• Greece Plans Pension Funds Mergers to Avert Crisis

November 15, 2007

• San Diego/city: $8 Million Paid in Illegal 'Excess' Pension Benefits Says City Attorney (video)
• New York's Pension Fund Should Cut Ties With Iran, Says State Controller
• Fort Lauderdale Should Not Abandon Its Defined-Benefit Pension Plan (op-ed)
• Dartmouth College Floats Plan to Scale Back Retiree Health Coverage
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Reduces Deficit to $13.1 Billion
• French Strike Over Pension Privileges Disrupts Transportation

November 14, 2007

• Pensions to Eat Up Nearly 90% of Property Tax Yield in Springfield, Illinois
• New Hampshire State Pension Fund Still Short $2.7 Billion Despite Strong Earnings
• Analysts Say Subprime Losses Could Reach $500 Billion (registration required)
• Florida to Review Effect of Subprime Loan Industry Collapse on State Pension Fund
• Expert Says Feds Are Stealing Half of Seniors' Socal Security Checks

November 13, 2007

• San Diego/city: Little-Known Pension Problem Is Brewing and Will Soon Reach a Boiling Point (column)
• GAO Report on Pensions Should Be Required Reading for Public Officials (column)
• The Health Cost Myth (op-ed)
• Defined-Contribution and Hybrid Plans Prevail Among World's Leading Employers, Says Report
• France Braces for Crippling Transport Strike Over Pension Reform Issue

November 12, 2007

• Contra Costa County's Financial Crisis Won't Fix Itself (column)
• New Jersey Panel Recommends Asking Public Employees to Pay More Towards Health Care
• Filipino World War II Veterans Press Pension Fight in Congress

November 9, 2007

• Veterans' $650 Billion Estimated Health Care Costs Could Exceed Cost of Entire War to Date, Says Report
• VIDEO: Cost of Returning Vets' Health Care Could Be $650 Billion
• Estimates of Retiree Health Costs Start (at $19 billion) to Roll in for the Texas Teacher Retirement System (blog)
• Hidden Strengths in Public Pension Funds, Yet Taxpayer Costs Surge (column)
• US National Debt Hits Record $9 Trillion
• The National Debt Bomb (editorial - Washington Times)
• Presidential Candidate Obama Focuses on Pensions, Retirement
• Baby Boomers Face Their Biggest Challenge (column)
• Retirement Living TV Targets Senior Viewers
• Paris Metro and Bus Workers to Strike Next Week to Protest Proposed Pension Reforms

November 8, 2007

• Retirees' Costs Worry Washington, DC Area State and Local Government Officials
• Ford's Jaguar, Land Rover Sale Plan Impacted by $2 Billion Pension Deficit

November 7, 2007

• Managing Pension Liabilities: The Road Ahead
• Salem, Massachusetts Retirement Board Votes to Merge With State Pension Funds
• Pennsylvania Firm Freezes Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• Senate Committee Looks at Little-Known Provisions of Social Security Law That Pinch Pensions (column)
• 'What? Me Worry?' Is Attitude of Most Retiring Baby Boomers, Says Canadian Study

November 6, 2007

• Companies Punt Traditional Defined Benefit Pension Plans
• Big Business Launches Healthcare Lobbying Group
• PBGC Officials Tell Bethlehem Steel Retirees Why Pension Payments Shifted
• Myths About Congressional Health Benefits and Social Security Participation Exposed (column)

November 5, 2007

• Indicted Orange County Sheriff May Be Staying in Office to Bulk Up His Pension (column)
• Huge Retiree Health Costs Loom in Novato, California
• New Hampshire Pension Commission May Recommend Working Longer, Getting Less
• SEC Investigation Is a Ray of Pension Sunshine (column)
• Convert Pennsylvania's State Pensions to Defined Contribution (op-ed)
• Memphis, Tennessee Will See Utility Rate Hike to Pay for Retirees' OPEBs
• Readers Report Rider, Pension Inflation at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Transit Agency
• Social Security Windfall Provision to Hit 1 in 10 Retirees (column)

November 2, 2007

• Lessons From the Wildfires: The Federal Financial Role in First Response (column)
• CalPERS Comments on GAO Report on Public Employee Pension Funds (press release)
• California Seeks Hedge Fund Regulation
• Maryland Legislator Wants Counties to Fund Teacher Pensions

November 1, 2007

• Chula Vista, California Looking at Major Cuts to Deal With Financial Crisis
• 2 Ex-City Officials in Chula Vista, California to Get Lesser Pensions
• Sacramento Police Chief's Pension Raises Red Flag
• Raises for Sacramento's Police Chief: Excellent Chief, Bad Message (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Public Pension Funds Need More SEC Oversight (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Merrill Lynch Tells Florida Pension Boards It's Being Investigated by SEC
• Georgia's Pension Fund May Face $16 Billion Shortfall as Boomers Retire
• Georgia's Future Pension-Fund Crisis Demands That Legislators Do Something in the Here, Now (editorial - Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• It's the State's Underfunding That Threatens Georgia's Pension Fund (op-Ed)
• PBGC to Increase Maximum Monthly Payments

October 31, 2007

• Ex-Chief of SEC Says Public Pension Funds Are in Danger
• Indicted Orange County Sheriff Could Lose Pension, if Convicted (blog)
• CalPERS Denies Sub-Prime Losses
• Corporate Pension Plans May Be Outsourced to Banks and Financial Firms
• Canada Sets Global Example on Health of Pension Funds, Says Country's Finance Minister

October 30, 2007

• Tomorrow's Senate Hearing on Entitlements Is a 'Can't-Miss Event' for the Next President (column)
• Pension Reform Among Issues Sparking Calls for Recall of Illinois' Governor (editorial - Chicago Tribune)
• Costs of New Pension Plan Being Revealed in Knox County, Tennessee (editorial - Knoxville News Sentinel)
• Disabled Firefighters to Get Half Their Salary as Pension in Stratford, Connecticut
• Oregon's State Pension System Reports Dramatic Return to Financial Health
• Many Companies Are Tightening Up on Health Benefits
• Workers in Kansas City Experience Health Care Benefits Sticker Shock

October 29, 2007

• CalPERS' Land Quandary
• New Database Lists California's Retired Government Employees Willing to Return to Work Part-Time
• Ohio's Retire-Rehire Racket (editorial - Dayton Daily News)
• Illinois Teachers' Pension Fund Sees 19.6% Return, but Is Stlll Only 63.8% Funded
• Real Fix for Social Security Needed (column)
• Sharp Tax Hikes Mulled to Fund Japan's Pension Program
• Half of All UK Workers Currently Age 30 May Live to 100, Says Study

October 26, 2007

• GASB 45 Could Spark Valuable Debate Over Government Health Coverage, Says GAO Report
• Read or Download the Government Accountability Office's Report on State and Local Retiree Benefits (pdf)
• Think Enron, Not Citron, in Investment Loss by King County, Washington (column)
• Who's Going to Take the Financial Weight? (column)
• China May Allow Individual Pension Accounts to Buy Securities Funds

October 25, 2007

• Hemet, California Sued by Police, Firefighters Over Changes to Retiree Health Insurance
• Fort Worth, Texas Seeks to Close $858 Million Gap in Retiree Health Benefits Funding
• Texas Pension Fund Will Follow GASB 45 (blog)
• New York City's Pension Fund Soared in Past Year
• PBGC Takes on Another Two Pension Funds With $21.2 Million Shortfall

October 24, 2007

• Orange County's New Contract With Deputies Reduces Health Benefit Liability by $140 Million
• Orange County Deputies' Move to a 401(k)-Style Health Plan Called 'Innovative'
• Milford, New Hampshire Braces for Financial Hit of State Pension System
• Mayor of Red Bank, New Jersey Says He'Ll Forgo Health Benefits
• Social Security Retirement Age Should Rise, Keep Americans Working Longer, Senators Say
• Hillary Clinton's Social Security Evasions (column)
• French Unions Call More Strikes Over Pension Issue

October 23, 2007

• California Assembly Employees Given 6% Pay Raises Plus Extra 1% Toward Pensions
• Pensions, Politicians and Pills in Illinois (op-ed)
• Health Insurance Premiums Are Up 78% Since 2001 (column)
• Employee Health Costs a Millstone for Small Businesses in Pennsylvania

October 22, 2007

• Orange County, California Reaches Tentative Deal With Sheriff's Union on Retirees' Health Benefits
• Contract Reforms Retiree Health Care Plan in Orange County, California (editorial - Oc Register)
• Retiree Health Trust Proposed to Save Money for Riverside County, California
• Contra Costa County Should Stop Deferring Retirement Debt, Tighten the Belt Now (column)
• Washington State's Pension Deficit Shrinks $660 Million to $4.47 Billion, Says Actuary
• New El Paso, Texas Pension Board Member Looks Forward to Job (column)
• Presidential Candidate Dodd Raises Social Security Alarm; Tax Burden for Fund Must Tap Rich, He Says
• French Government to Discuss Pension Reform With Unions, State Companies This Week

October 19, 2007

• Orange County, California's Tentative Pact With Sheriff's Deputies Includes Changes in Retirees' Health Care
• California Wants to Register Hedge Fund Managers
• North Carolina Pension Fund Deemed Healthy
• Thousands of Bethlehem Steel Retirees' Pensions Will Be Cut, PBGC Tells Them
• French Unions Extend Strike Over Pensions, Disrupt Transport
• French Employers and Unions in Pension Funds Scandal

October 18, 2007

• New York City, Teachers Union Announce Landmark Retirement Deal
• New York City Teachers Agree to Pension Plan Changes and Bonus Pay Tied to Scores
• CalPERS Seeks to Regain Clout With Health Insurers
• Mold May Cause California's Board of Equalization to Move Out of Its Sacramento High Rise
• Pittsburgh's Financial Overseer Wants to Handle City's Troubled Pension Plan
• Federal Employees Don't Want to Share Their Benefits Program With Public
• Commissioners Call for Streamlined Veterans' Benefits at Senate Panel Hearing
• Today's Nationwide Strike in France Is a Warning Shot by Unions on Wider Pension Reform

October 17, 2007

• Los Angeles County Starts Trust Fund for Retiree Health Benefits
• McHenry County, Illinois Teachers Balk at Contributing More to Their Pensions
• AT&T, Verizon May Try to Shift Retiree Health-Care Liabilities to a VEBA
• Presidential Candidates Must Address Social Security's Ills (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Hillary Rejects the Premise That a Social Security Problem Even Exists (column)
• France Braces for Transportation Paralysis When Workers Strike Thursday Over Pension Reform
• Report Advocates Raising Pension Age in Australia

October 16, 2007

• Foreign Policy and Public Pension Funds Don't Mix, Say Critics of 'Terror-Free' Divestment
• Orange County Deputies See Supervisor Moorlach as Biggest Obstacle on Board of Supervisors
• Trust Fund Proposed for Los Angeles County Retirees' Health Care
• Chula Vista, California Looks at Early-Retirement Incentives to Trim Payroll
• San Diego/city: City Sues Its Own Retirement System
• San Diego/city: City Goes to Court on Pension Service Credit Issue Without City Attorney
• CalPERS Board Studies Asset Shifts, Fee Revision for Its Money Managers
• St. Louis, Missouri Firefighters' Pension Fund Gets $49 Million Infusion From City
• Voters in Highland Park, Michigan Should Approve Pension Bonds (editorial - Detroit News)
• Wilshire Consulting Issues Annual Report on City and County Pension Plans
• First Baby Boomer Collects Social Security; Next Wave of Retirees May Bankrupt System
• Without a Fix for Social Security, Boomers Will Bankrupt US (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)

October 15, 2007

• California Governor Signs Bill on Iran Divestiture; Pension Funds Object
• Palm Beach, Florida's Pension Contributions Have Climbed 581% Since 2001
• Rhode Island -- The Final Frontier (column)
• To Overcome Police Shortage, Reform Pensions, Pay Recruits More in Cash (column)
• PBGC Takes on Pennsylvania Hospital's Pension Fund With $40 Million Shortfall

October 14, 2007

• San Diego/city: Workers Who Purchased Pension Credits Should Ante Up, Says Councilwoman
• Fremont, California School District Changes Pension Contribution Policy
• CalPERS to Hold Run-Off Election for Board Seat
• Taxpayers Fund Pennsylvania's Lucrative State Employee Pensions
• New Hampshire Governor Wants State Pension System Improvements
• Michigan Lawmakers Must Scale Down Their Generous Benefits Package (editorial - Press & Argus)
• New York State Pension Fund Inquiry Reaches Bank of Ireland Unit
• Granting of Extra, Retroactive Pension Raises Questions of Oversight (editorial - Burlington Free Press)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin Wise to Pay Off $12 Million Pension Debt (editorial - Sheboygan Press)
• Momentum Builds for Shift Away From Employer-Based Health Care (column)
• Financial Powerhouses Are Angling to Buy Retirement Plans as Employers Look for an Exit
• VEBA: A New Name for an Old Solution (op-ed)
• The IRS Is Jeopardizing Pension Security for Thousands of Workers (column)
• Analysts Call for Increase in Eligibility Age for Social Security
• Medicare: The Monster That Ate Social Security (column)

October 12, 2007

• Orange County, California Deputies' Work Slowdown Delays Murder Trial
• New York Pension Fund Faces a Federal Inquiry
• Pension Change in Rhode Island: Short-Term Cost, Long-Term Savings
• A Lesson From Detroit: UAW's New VEBA & Your OPEB (column)

October 11, 2007

• First Boomer Sign-Up for Social Security Benefits Is Symbolic Jump Towards System's Looming Bankruptcy
• Public Employees in Santa Barbara, California Rally for Higher Pay, Benefits
• Uncovering $1.5 Trillion in Hidden OPEB Liabilities for State and Local Governments (report - PDF)
• Rhode Island House Speaker's Call for Pension Reform Is Courageous (editorial - Providence Journal)
• Mattel Sued on Toy Recalls by Local Public Pension Fund in Sterling Heights, Michigan
• Italian Workers Vote Overwhelmingly in Favor of Pension Reforms, Raising Retirement Age

October 10, 2007

• California Governor Signs Bill Allowing National Guard to Participate in State Pension Plan (CalPERS)
• San Diego/city: Council Votes to Have Private Attorneys Handle Work on Pension Dispute, Landslide
• Burlington, Vermont City Council Discusses Former Exec's Retroactive Pension
• Missouri Judge Okays Defined Contribution Pension Plan for Local Fire District
• Improved Pensions OK'd for Sheriff's Deputies in Carroll County, Maryland
• Worcester, Massachusetts Council Asks Pension Board to Drop Sudan Investments
• Clinton Proposes 401(k)-Type Retirement Accounts With Tax Credits

October 9, 2007

• Oxnard, California Clashes With Employees Over Health Benefits
• Lawyers Spar Over Pension Fund Racketeering Lawsuit in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
• West Virginia Hikes Workers' Health Premiums in Face of $8 Billion Unfunded Liability
• Alabama Official Wants Public Employees to Pay More for Health Insurance
• Special Property Tax Covers Police, Fire Pension Costs in Florence, Kentucky
• 401(k) Plans Slammed at Pension Conference in the Netherlands
• GM's Health Care Fix (editorial - New York Times)
• Error Boosted Bethlehem Steel Pensions, So Extra Must Go Back to Pbgc (editorial - Morning Call)

October 8, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Attorney's Pension-Case Costs Mounting
• Gilroy, California Fights Escalating Public Employee Health Costs
• Dubious Diplomas Boost Pay of Sacramento, California Firefighters
• Burlington, Vermont's Former Top Exec Was Granted a City-Funded Pension Retroactively
• Westwego, Louisiana Pays to Boost Firefighters' Retirement
• Michigan Legislators Get Free Health Insurance for Life After Six Years
• Three Massachusetts Pension Funds Spared State Takeover
• Hazleton, Pennsylvania Seeks Bill to Okay Pension, Benefits Practices
• Can the Pension World Learn Something From Ayn Rand? (blog)
• Get Rid of Politics, Politicians on Public Pension Boards (Q&A)
• Military Veterans Still Face Tortuous Process to Get Disability Benefits (editorial - New York Times)
• Medicaid Spending Jumps Sharply
• Round 2 in Medicare Fight Upcoming

October 6, 2007

• Orange County Deputies Slow Work at Courthouse for Second Time in One Week
• San Diego/city: Former SEC Chairman Levitt Unloads on City in Bloomberg Interview
• San Diego/county: Disabled Retirees to Get $400 More From County
• Rhode Island's Governor Calls for Cuts in Employee Pensions and Health Benefits
• Massachusetts' Pension Funds Asked to Divest From Myanmar
• Pension Funds Could Become Issue for Springfield, Illinois
• Sayreville, New Jersey Council Eliminates Its Own Health Benefits
• Should Employees Pay for Unhealthy Habits? (column)
• A Quick Solution to the Growth of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid? (column)

October 5, 2007

• The $3 Trillion Challenge: How Are Public Pension Funds Governed, and Who's Governing Them?
• Increase Seen in Lawsuits Against Public Pension Plan Trustees
• California to Appeal Interest Payment Ruling in CalSTRS Case
• New York City Will Help Pension Plans Build Housing for Teachers
• New York Pension Fund Inquiry Looks at Securities Business Owned by Former Comptroller's Son
• Did United Airlines Hoodwink the PBGC by Hiding a Huge Asset? (column)

October 4, 2007

• Benefits Strain Davis, California's Budget: City May Have to Set Aside More Funds Each Year
• Northampton County, Pennsylvania Considers Ending Retiree Health Benefits for New Hires
• Judge Says Mehlville, Missouri Fire District Can Change Pension Plan
• Pension Plans Stay With Hedge Funds
• UAW May Use Heft to Limit Health Care Costs to Retirees
• Changes Urged to Disclosure Rules for Municipal Bonds

October 3, 2007

• Orange County, California Sheriff's Deputies Picket Board Meeting Over Pay and Pensions
• Davis, California Tackles Growing OPEB Liability of $42-65 Million
• Rhode Island Legislator Endorses Plan to Change State's Public Pension System
• Michigan Legislator Takes Stand Against 'Overpaid Public Employees'
• New Teachers in Michigan Will Pay More Toward Pensions
• Michigan Teachers May Pay More for Health Benefits
• Generous Bonus Plan Approved for Massachusetts Pension Fund Employees
• Teachers' Union Survey Says Public Employee Salaries Trail Private Sector (press release)
• Is Somebody Taking a Cut of Your Employees' Retirement Savings? (column)
• Pensions and Palm-Greasing (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• Sobering New Study Released on Medicare Costs and Retirement Security
• One More Warning That Social Security Is Going Broke (editorial - Mobile Press-Register)
• Social Security Resists Changes to Fix Errors Resulting in $140 Million in Overpayments
• Defined-Benefit Pension Plans See Sharp Drop in Ireland, New Survey Reveals

October 2, 2007

• Orange County, California Courts Slowed by Sheriff's Deputies' Work Slowdown
• 11 California Police Unions Unite to Fight 'Orange County Pension Grab' (press release)
• San Diego/city: By Granting Pay Raises, City Attorney Ignores Own Advice
• Public-Sector Health Liability Tops $1 Trillion Under GASB 45, Says Goldman Sachs Report
• UAW Contract to Have Far-Reaching Health-Care Implications (column)
• Painful New Reality on Health Care for UAW (editorial - St. Petersburg Times)
• A Bird? A Pension Plan? No, It's a VEBA
• Congress Stalls on Social Security
• Standard Medicare Premium Will Rise 3.1% Next Year

October 1, 2007

• Workers in San Jose, California Protest Over Potential Cuts to Retiree Health Benefits
• California Gives State Health Benefits to Federal Firefighters' Survivors
• San Diego/city: Mayor Says City Attorney Wants Bankruptcy
• Health Care Alternative Emerges From GM/UAW Talks (editorial - Orange County Register)
• California Governor's Divestment Plan Sends Strong Message to Iran (editorial - San Jose Mercury News)
• Massachusetts Teachers Seek Pension Credit for Private School Years
• Pennsylvania Cuts Health Benefits for 52,000 State Retirees
• Today's Budget Deficits in Michigan Pale Compared to Future Shortfalls (editorial - Detroit News)
• Burlington, Vermont's 2000 Pension Boost Is Causing Ongoing Property Tax Increases
• Denver Schools' Pension Shortfall Is a Time Bomb That Must Be Defused (editorial - Denver Post)
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota Facing $35 Million Unfunded OPEB Liability
• South Dakota State Employees' Salaries Online in Searchable Database
• El Paso, Texas Pension Board Should Have Held Retreat in Town (editorial - El Paso Times)
• Teamsters and UPS Reach Deal on Pensions
• UPS, Teamsters Contract Allows Pension Shift, Benefit Increases
• US Debt Now Nearly $10 Trillion -- Rising $1.36 Billion Daily
• Sleepwalking Toward DD-Day -- the Day the Demographic Deluge Begins (column)
• Aging Inmates Clogging Nation's Prisons
• With Virtually No Pension System, Chinese Fear Getting Old

September 28, 2007

• Newport Beach, California's Good Pension Idea Strangled in the Cradle (editorial - Orange County Register)
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Accuses Mayor of Being Politically Unstable
• San Diego/city: Mayor and City Attorney Blame Each Other for Pension Paperwork Delays
• San Diego/city: City Attorney's Recklessness Spurs Mayor's Action (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Denver Schools May Borrow $400 Million to Pump Up Underfunded Pension Fund
• For a Change, Denver Schools Budget Not Quite So Grim (editorial - Rocky Mountain News)
• Maryland Public Workers Union Warns Against Cutting Retiree Health Benefits
• Joplin, Missouri Pension Board to Explore Options to Overcome Underfunding
• UAW's 'Victory' May Really Be Last Gasp
• What Might GM Health Benefits Trust Fund Mean for Workers Elsewhere?

September 27, 2007

• San Diego/city: Mayor Points Finger at City Attorney, Wants Judge to Settle Pension Dispute
• Sutter County, California's Pension Plan Nearly 90 Percent Funded, Analyst Says
• Middle East Is Attracting a New Wave of Western Investors, Including Pension Funds
• Altering Kentucky's Public Employee Pension Benefits Would Be Risky, Says California Attorney
• Massachusetts' Educator Pension Payouts Top $1.5 Billion
• Educators Added to Massachusetts Newspaper's Online Pension Database
• Michigan Lawmakers Float a First to Resolve State's Budget Crisis: a Tax on Health Care Benefits
• Benefits for Wisconsin Public Employees Are 50% Higher Than for Private Sector, Study Says
• Wisconsin Public Employees Need a Reality Check on Benefits (editorial - Janesville Gazette)
• Grantsburg, Wisconsin Schools Consider Trust Fund to Deal Wth GASB 45 Requirements
• UAW Set to Assume $51 Billion Responsibility for Retiree Healthcare Benefits
• Pension Reform Needed in South Korea (editorial - Korea Times)
• Czech Pension Insurance Payers Outnumber Pensioners, Though System Is Still Unsustainable

September 26, 2007

• Newport Beach, California Won't Be Letting Voters Decide on Pension Hikes
• Fix for $13 Trillion Social Security Shortfall Will Require Benefit Cuts and Tax Increases
• Fixing Social Security (editorial - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
• Newport News, Virginia Scales Back Teachers' Pensions
• Denver Public School District Eyes Pension Refinancing
• GM vs. UAW: Self-Inflicted Wounds (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Why Do Governments Need Budgets? (op-ed)

September 25, 2007

• California's Governor to Sign Iran Pension Fund Divestment Bill Despite Critics
• All Guts, No Glory: Taking on the Public Employee Unions in Orange County (column)
• San Diego's City and County Pension Funds Performing Well Above Targeted Goals
• Chicago: Mayor Says Deal Involves Nephew, Pension Boards -- Not Him
• Chicago: Mayor's Nephew Feeding at Public Trough Takes Ethics Back to Early '70s (column)
• Massachusetts Firm to Freeze Pension Plan for Its 15,000 Workers, Boost 401(k) Offerings
• GM Workers Begin Walkout Over Contract Impasse
• More Information Needed to Assess US Companies' Pension Funding, Says Fitch Report

September 24, 2007

• Nephew of Chicago's Mayor Could Make Millions From City-Linked Pension Funds
• 47 Cents of Every Dollar Chicago Collects in Property Taxes Goes Toward Pensions
• Macomb County, Michigan Plans Under Fire; Fees May Rise as Retirees Get Bonus
• More Than Half of All Americans -- 53% -- Now Depend on Government for Their Income
• UAW, GM Make Progress Toward Reaching a Tentative Deal on Retiree Health Care
• Health Insurance Premiums Up 6.1%, Outpacing Inflation and Wages, Says Kaiser Report
• 401(k) Options Dismay Some Workers
• Warning Flag for Boomers in Alan Greenspan's New Book (column)

September 23, 2007

• Proposed Ballot Measure in Newport Beach, California Could Ignite Statewide Public Employee Pension War
• California Commission Seeks Fix for Escalating Costs of Pensions and Health Benefits
• San Diego/city: Service Credits Added $146 Million to Pension Deficit, Says Actuary
• San Diego/city: Current and Future Retirees Could Be Asked to Cover $146 Million Pension-Perk Shortfall
• California Congressman Doolittle Denies He's Running for 10th Term to Increase His Federal Pension by $16,000/Year
• Free Money, No Wait at the Massachusetts Pension Trough (column)
• Huntington, West Virginia Grapples With $2 Million Employee Health Insurance Shortfall
• Huntington, West Virginia Employees' Health Insurance Plan Summarized

September 21, 2007

• Board Should Press on Fighting to Undo Retroactive Pension Spike (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Orange County Union Whines About Thousands as It Squanders Hundreds of Millions (blog)
• Milwaukee County Pension 'Buyback' Inquiry to Cover Several Decades
• New Jersey's Pension Fund Managers Seek Profits in Volatile Market
• New Jersey Workers Protest Pension Funds Being in State's Hands
• Pension Funding Can't Come in Last (editorial - Charleston Daily Mail)
• Pension Revocation Examined in New Haven, Connecticut
• Westborough, Massachusetts Wants to Shift Retiree Health Benefits to Medicare
• GM, UAW Reportedly Talk About Replacing Defined-Benefit Pension With 401(k)
• US Senator Seeks to Pare Back Airline Pension Break
• French Unions Are Set to Strike October 17 Over 'Right' to Retire at Age 50

September 20, 2007

• San Diego/county: When the Market Turmoil Hits Home
• Union Rhetoric Ignores Legality of Orange County's Retroactive Pensions (letter)
• Cost of New Hampshire's Pension System Is Going to Soar, Says Report
• Florida Pension Fund Identifies $1 Billion Divestment List
• US Treasury Secretary Urges Congress to Raise National Debt Limit
• French President Wants to Abolish Retirement Privileges That 'Discourage Work'
• VIDEO: Economist Explains Why French Pension Reforms Are Necessary

September 19, 2007

• Orange County Supervisors Accused of Hypocrisy in Deputies' Pension Rollback Case
• Newport Beach, California Could Become First Orange County City to Let Voters Decide on Pension Boosts (op-ed)
• San Diego/city: Fire Union Sees Recruitment Crisis Looming, but Numbers Disagree
• Study Commissioned by CalPERS Touts Its Benefit to the Economy
• CalPERS Says Its Investments Are Tied to 124,000 Jobs in California
• GM Seeks Shift to 401(k) Pensions for New Employees
• Pension Ten$ion Mounts in Massachusetts With State's Shortfall at $13.3 Billion
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida Police and Fire Push for Retiree Pension, Benefit Hikes

September 18, 2007

• Orange County Supervisors Could Hire Attorney Today to Pursue Pension Lawsuit
• Orange County Board Will Consider Rollback of Retroactive Pensions in Closed Session (blog)
• CalPERS Unlikely to Take Position on Tax Hike, Says Exec
• New York City's Budget Growth Largely Driven by Employee Pensions, Benefits, Medicaid
• PBGC Takes on $1.7 Million Pension Shortfall of Bankrupt West Virginia Firm
• PBGC Sets Out Strategic Plan for 2008-11
• New President's Proposed Pension Reform Challenges France's Entrenched Unions
• Japan's Elderly Population Rises to Record 21.5%, Government Says

September 17, 2007

• California Voters Must Put Cap on Too-Generous Public Employee Retirement Benefits (op-ed)
• Legal Memo Questions Plan to Cut Orange County Deputies' Pensions
• Cable TV Series Covers Public Pension Crisis in Orange County, California (press release)
• California Pension Commission Meets This Friday in Los Angeles
• Pensions, Housing & Mortgage $$$ (column)
• Approximately 11,400 Ohio Public Employees Are 'Double Dipping'
• New Jersey Seeing Red Over Rahway Official's Pension
• Disgraced Former Sheriff of Broward County, Florida May Lose Six-Figure Pension
• Louisiana Teachers' Pension Fund Posts 19.67 Percent Return
• Cuba Could Trip Up New York Divestment Movement
• Pension Payouts Favor Young, Senior Delta Air Lines Pilots Complain
• Current Pay-As-You-Go Czech Pension System Is Not Sustainable

September 14, 2007

• Reform Public Employee Pensions in California (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• San Diego/city: Investment Gains Lower Retiree Healthcare Liability to $1.1 Billion
• Up to $9 Million in Bonuses Approved for Texas Pension Fund Staff
• The St. Louis Pension Bond Debate (column)
• Pension News Goes From Bad to Worse in Evanston, Illinois
• Pension Ins and Outs in Evanston, Illinois
• A New Model for City Services (op-ed)
• Probe of New York's Pension Fund Will Uncover Corruption, Says State's Attorney General
• Federal Employees to See Rise in Health Insurance Premiums
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado Councilors Okay Health Benefits for Future Councils
• Kinnelon, New Jersey Council to Seek Closure Over Health Benefits
• PBGC to Look Closer at Risky Pensions

September 13, 2007

• San Diego/city: Retirement Board Calls City Attorney's Behavior Unethical
• CalPERS May Hire Full-Time Health Adviser
• Top California Pension Funds to Host Conference Sep. 18-20 in Los Angeles (press release)
• Kentucky State Workers to Pay 5.8 Percent More for Health Benefits
• Never You Mind What Pension Managers Earn (editorial - Austin American-Statesman)
• Edgewater, Florida Pension Board Has 6 Months to Iron Out Changes to Costly Plan
• Pensions Should Be Non-Issue in Atlantic County, New Jersey Race (editorial - Press of Atlantic City)
• Porter County, Indiana Rejects Call to End Health Benefits for Elected Officials
• Window Manufacturer Andersen Corp. Switches to 401(k) and Drops Retiree Health Coverage for New Hires

September 12, 2007

• San Diego/city: Employees Union to Audit City Attorney's Office on Pension Litigation Costs
• Texas Court Decision Puts Pension Fund Employees' Salaries Out of Public View
• Texas Teachers' Pension Fund Chief Could Make $904,500 Under Proposed Pay Plan
• Evanston, Illinois Eyes Real Estate Transfer Tax to Reduce $140 Million Pension Shortfall
• Retirement? More Seniors Say: 'No, It's Off to Work I Go'
• Some Companies Are Penalizing Employees for Health Risks
• Corporate Pensions Working Again After Dire Straits in '02
• Countrywide Financial Faces Lawsuit for Alleged Shortcomings Over Pension Plan
• Bush Won't Push Social Security Reform
• New French President to Tackle Scaling Back Generous Government Pensions

September 11, 2007

• CalSTRS Gets $500 Million Check From State of California
• CalPERS Poised to Invest $1.5 Billion in Government Infrastructure Projects
• CalPERS Added Hedge Fund Allocations in July
• Pension News Goes From Bad to Worse for Evanston, Illinois
• Pension Tension Rising in Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Taxpayer Group Sues Corpus Christi, Texas to Stop Council Health Benefits
• Ohio Attorney General Attacks Bush Administration on Lack of Pension Fund Protections
• Israel Wants US Pension Funds to Shun Iran-Linked Firms
• Delphi to Freeze Pension Plans
• Retirement Nest Eggs Developing Cracks

September 10, 2007

• El Monte, California's Pensions Are Capped at 100% of Final Pay; Retirees in Other Area Cities Can Receive More Than 100%
• Pension Payments Are Eating Into Services in Illinois
• Boomers' Retirement Challenges Wyoming Retirement System
• West Virginia Lawmakers May Reconsider Merger of Teacher Pension Funds
• Don't Let Divestment Bills Become a Habit (editorial - Rocky Mountain News)
• Nationwide Insurance Calls for Preservation of Pension Plan (press release)
• Pensions Could Be Next Subprime Victim
• Dirty Little Secrets of Hedge Funds
• Bush Administration Has Spent $2.8 Million on Push for Social Security Accounts
• Canadian Councilman Wants More Pension Data to Analyze $31 Million Liability
• Scotland Has More Retired Police Collecting Pensions Than Working Officers

September 8, 2007

• San Diego/city: Appeals Court Upholds Conflict-Of-Interest Pension Case
• San Diego/city: District Attorney's Case Against Six Former Pension Board Members Moves Forward
• California Public Employee Unions Already Campaigning Against Pension Reform
• California Senate Passes Iran Pension Fund Divestiture Bill
• Colorado Pension Fund Should Pass on Iran Divestment (editorial - Denver Post)

September 7, 2007

• Contra Costa County Governments Face Service Cuts, Layoffs Due to Retiree Health Costs
• San Diego/county: Pension Board Move Targets $1.23 Billion Deficit Deficit
• San Diego/city: Talks Being Held With IRS on $100 Million Owed to Pension Fund
• CalSTRS Votes to Limit Political Gifts
• Livingston, California Council Rejects Health Benefits Package in Face of Public Pressure
• California Senate Approves Bill for Volunteer Firefighters
• Macomb County, Michigan Eyes Pension Cuts for Future Employees
• Let Local Michigan Communities Form Insurance Pools (editorial - Detroit News)
• Connecticut Wants to Play by Its Own Accounting Rules
• Effect on Pensions From Tax Proposal Is Called Slight
• Congress to Impose Collective Bargaining on State and Local Public Safety Via H.R. 980
• Auto Makers Eye Trusts for Retirees' Health Care
• Hillary's $7 Trillion Promise (editorial - Washington Times)

September 6, 2007

• Los Angeles School Board Approves Budget With $30 Million in Added Health Benefits
• CalSTRS' Trustees Rethink Tobacco Investment Ban in Grappling With $20 Billion Shortfall
• Arbitrator Says California's Correctional Officers Can't Piggyback on CHP Pay Hike
• Pittsburgh Mayoral Candidates Face Off on City Pension Fund's $469 Million Deficit
• Put Lawmakers, Corrupt or Not, on 401(k) Plan (editorial - Tomah Journal)
• National Public Employee Pension Group Changes View on Private Equity Tax Bills

September 5, 2007

• Debate Over Investment Risk Roils Orange County, California
• Orange County's Batman and Robin Break Up (column)
• Finally, GASB 45 Shines Light on Cost of Shady Public Employee Health Benefits Plans (op-ed)
• San Diego/county: Pension System Recommits to Its Hedge Fund Plan (blog)
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Hounds SEC and Settlement Monitor
• New York Taxpayers to Save on Public Employee Pension Costs, Says Comptroller
• New Jersey's State Pension Fund to Invest in New Jersey Companies
• H.R. 980 Would Federalize Local Public Safety Labor Relations (column)
• Hedge Fund Managers March on Washington, DC
• New Orleans' Pension Fund Jumps Into Hedge Funds
• World's 300 Largest Pension Funds Top $10 Trillion for First Time in 2006
• UPS Said to Reach Deal to Withdraw From Teamsters Pension Plan
• Most Employers Pay Extra 43% of Pay for Employee Benefits
• Four Out of 10 Workers in Maine Could Retire in Next Two Decades
• Boomers Could Use Financial Planning, Life Coaching
• New Study Looks at Raising Social Security's Early Retirement Age
• Private Accounts Best Option to Save Social Security, Says Presidential Candidate
• London Underground Resuming Service After Strike Over Pensions Ends

September 4, 2007

• Free Retiree Health Care a Prescription for Trouble for West Contra Costa County School District (column excerpt)
• San Diego/city: City Attorney's Letter to Congressman Expresses Frustration With SEC
• All Workers, Not Just a Few CEOs, Need Retirement Funds, Says California State Treasurer (op-ed)
• Taxes Rise, Services Cut in Massachusetts to Cover Soaring Cost of Pensions, Health Care
• H.R. 980 Would Federalize Public Safety Bargaining (op-ed)
• The Federal Budget Deficit Is Much Bigger Than You Think (column)
• Wellesley, Massachusetts Transfers Pension Fund to State Management
• Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Pension Fund to Avoid Terrorist Nations, Hedge Funds
• Growing Number of UAW Members Wary of Automakers' Health Care Trust Plan
• Strike Over Job and Pension Security Shuts Most of London's Subway

September 3, 2007

• Sutter County, California's Debate on Public Pensions and Benefits Echoes Statewide Fight
• On Labor Day: Recent Trends No Picnic for California's Workers (op-ed)
• Unions Face Big Challenges in California as Cost of Public Pensions and Benefiits Eat Into Budgets (column)
• Big Labor Strangles Government (editorial - San Francisco Examiner)
• Subprime Crisis Casts Shadow on Corporate Pension Funds
• Survey Shows World's 300 Largest Pension Funds Grew 11.5% Last Year; CalPERS Moves Up to #4 Spot
• San Diego/city: 'Less Than a Handful' of Workers Lose Jobs
• Duluth, Minnesota Mayoral Race Focuses on $300 Million Retiree Healthcare Liability
• Seattle, Washington Must Exercise Caution With Its Pension Investments (editorial)
• Survey Finds Workers Value Health Insurance More Highly Than Pay
• Who Owns Your Social Security? (Hint: It's Not You)
• There's a Simple Fix for Social Security: Raise Benefit Age to 75 (op-ed)
• IRS Will Tax 401(k) Savings Used to Buy Retiree Health Coverage
• Companies Now Trying to Retain Older Workers
• Auto Makers Push Health Care Trust Solution for Industry in Crisis
• Filipino Veterans Press Congress for World War II Pensions Promised by President Roosevelt
• Mexican Teachers' Pension Protest Shuts Down San Ysidro, California Border Crossing
• National Pension System Scandal Angers Japanese
• Singapore, Hong Kong and Inadequate Pension Plans

August 31, 2007

• California Court Says State Must Pay $700 Million to CalSTRS
• Los Angeles School District Gives Health Benefits to 2,352 Part-Time Cafeteria Workers
• Kentucky's Governor Vows to Fix $18 Billion Pension Liability
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Pension Fund Lost $5.7 Million in Eight Months
• Macomb County, Michigan Studies Pension Plans as Costs to Taxpayers Escalate
• Health Benefits, Pensions Continue for 4 Convicted Tennessee Ex-Lawmakers
• St. Louis, Missouri Municipal Bonds Rated by Fitch
• Pension Divestment Gets Complicated in Massachusetts

August 30, 2007

• San Diego/county: State Supreme Court Won't Hear Pension Case Regarding Rehires
• Edgewater, Florida to Underfund Pension Plan
• Candidate Tiff in Warren, Michigan May End Up Saving Taxpayers Millions in Pension Payments
• Retirees Face 'Guaranteed Income Gap,' Fidelity Report Warns
• Mexican Teachers to Protest Pension Changes Friday at Ports of Entry

August 29, 2007

• Palomar College in California Addresses $66 Million Retiree Benefit Shortfall
• San Marcos, California School District Consultant Will Study Projected $360 Million in Retiree Benefit Costs
• Los Angeles Police Organization to Run Ads Against California Pension Reform Initiative (press release)
• San Diego/city: Comptroller Asks Questions About Pension Fund Investments
• San Diego/city: Program Unveiled to Help Police Buy Homes Closer to Job
• News Feature Examines the Sutter County Taxpayers Association's Involvement in Pension Battle
• New York Pension Investigation Scrutinizes Fees to Ex-State Comptroller's Consultant
• Worcester, Massachusetts Hires New CEO to Plan Major Updates of Pension Fund
• Iran Divestment Bills Are Pending in at Least 13 State Legislatures (op-ed)
• Odorous Alliances in Mortgage Meltdown (column)

August 28, 2007

• Keep California Public Employees' Pensions and Benefits Healthy, Says Labor Executive
• CalPERS Board Election for Retirees' Seat Is Under the Radar, Behind the Scenes
• US Hedge Fund Losses Seen Adding Up
• Hedge Funds Losing Their Luster for Pension Fund Managers
• Just How Contagious Is That Hedge Fund?
• Another Federal Court Rules Cash Balance Plans Are Not Age-Discriminatory
• Widows and Single Women Face Harsh Financial Futures, Report Says
• Later Retirements Needed, Seniors Group Suggests to Canada/quebec Pension Plan

August 27, 2007

• Sutter County, California Butts Heads With Taxpayers Association Over Pensions
• Davis, California Sees Upswing in Public Employee Retirements
• We Should Just Do Away With the California Legislature (column)
• San Jose, California's Police and Fire Pension Fund Reports 19.3 Percent Gain
• Marin County, California Pension Fund Administrator in Line for 44% Pay Raise
• New Jersey Towns Brace for Huge Increase in Pension Obligations
• CHART: Soaring Payments for New Jersey's Public Employee Pensions (jpg)
• Massachusetts Needs to Stand Up to Public Employee Unions (op-ed)
• Michigan Public School Districts 'On the Brink of Financial Meltdown' Due to Rising Cost of Benefits
• Connellsville, Pennsylvania Council Reacts to $1.4 Million Police Pension Fund Shortfall
• Ohio Public Pensions Were Used in Game of Politics (letter)
• Handshake Deal Hid New York Pension Fund Fee-Loading Agreement
• New York's Pension Fund Scandal Has a Texas Link
• Hoffa Urges Iran Divestment for Teamsters' Pension Funds (editorial - New York Sun)
• Citi, J.P. Morgan, Others Eye Pension-Buyout Business for US Companies

August 24, 2007

• San Diego's Pension Saga Is a Cautionary Tale for Orange County
• California Correctional Officers Union Spurns Latest Contract Offer by State
• Pennsylvania Taxpayers Poised to Pay $2 Billion for Pensions
• New Jersey Needs $2 Billion Loan to Pay Its Bills, Still Has $25 Billion Pension Liability
• Dearborn, Michigan Should Sell Its Florida Condos to Help Pay Retiree Health Benefits (editorial - Detroit News)
• Tompkins County, New York Weighs Options to Relieve Future Retiree Health Insurance Costs
• Hedge Funds' World of Hurt (column)
• Teamsters' Hoffa Backing Iran Divestment

August 23, 2007

• San Marcos, California: Anatomy of a Pension Disaster (column)
• CalPERS Chief Welcomes Credit Turmoil
• California Pension Commission Meets Today in San Jose
• Divestment Is the Wrong Answer (column)
• Four Money Men Bring Fresh Blood to Expanded New Jersey Pension-Fund Panel
• Louisiana State Pension Fund Announces 19.2% Return
• Fed Still Needs a Firm Hand to Steady Pension Funds, Mortgages, Credit (editorial - Morning Call)
• Hedge Fund Letter Outlines How We Got Into This Mess (blog)
• New Study Shows Fewer Frozen Defined-Benefit Pension Plans, More Commitment to Keeping Them
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Issues Report on Private Companies' Offerings of Pensions, Medical Plans
• Review of Retiree Health Care Bias Ruling Requested by AARP Denied by 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals

August 22, 2007

• New York: Where Investing $154 Billion Is One Man's Job
• Retirees Fret as Highland Park, Michigan's Pension Funds Dry Up
• Pension Changes in the Works for Newport News, Virginia School District Which Has $212 Million Shortfall
• Public Pension Benefits Require Ever More Careful Public Consideration (editorial - Journal News)
• Public Pensions' Hedge Fund Appetite Tested

August 21, 2007

• Facing a $47 Billion Health Care Liability, New York State Urged to Cut Retiree Benefits
• Washington State OPEBs Could Cost $12 Billion
• Some Public Pension Funds Forced to Put Foreign Policy Ahead of Securing Retirement Benefits (editorial)
• Colorado Pension Fund Says Liability Problem Fixed for Most Employees
• Massachusetts Transportation Officials Get Pensions While Working Other Government Jobs
• Convicted Former Massachusetts House Speaker Fights for Revoked Pension
• Georgia Lawmakers Must Get Rid of Pension Plans That Bilk Taxpayers (column)
• Many Oregon Public Retirees to Get a Cost-Of-Living Increase in Pension Checks
• Oklahoma Employees' Health Premiums to Increase 7 Percent in 2008
• Hedge Fund Failure Rate May Double
• Delta Pilots Get Pension Boost

August 20, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Attorney Again at Center of Pension Feud
• Highland Park, Michigan Takes Two-Step Approach to $17 Million Pension Shortfall
• Connellsville, Pennsylvania Police Will Make Pension, Health Contributions for First Time
• Texas' Overdue, Overbudget Pension Technology Project Leads to Bitter Blame Game
• Quitting Iran Investments Could Cost Tucson, Arizona Pension Fund $2.8 Million
• America's Financial Battles With Iran Involve Pension Funds (column)
• How Effective Is Pension Fund Morality? (column)
• Fred Thompson Puts Needed Focus on Social Security and Medicare (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Pension Plans May Feel Sting of Subprime Mortgage Meltdown
• How Pension Funds Became Exposed to the Subprime Mortgage Meltdown
• The Good and the Bad News (for Pensions and Taxpayers) Is We Are Living Longer
• Injecting Liquidity Into the Banking System: Creating Money With a Few Keystrokes

August 18, 2007

• San Diego School System Faces 'Sizeable' Liability for Retiree Health Care Benefits
• Let People Decide on Public Pensions in California (column)
• Burbank, California School District Needs to Change How It Pays for Retirees' Health Care
• CalPERS Mulls Move Into Foreign Real Estate
• Pensions & Potholes: Self-Dealing in Infrastructure? (column)
• 'Time Bomb' Health Costs: New Jersey's Estimated 30-Year Bill Adds Up to Nearly $20 Billion
• Austin, Texas Faces $1 Billion in Unfunded Future Retiree Health Care Costs
• Alabama State Workers Should Pay More for Benefits to Help With $20 Billion Liability (editorial - Press-Register)
• Pension Fund Woes in Edgewater, Florida: Solution Likely to Touch All Pockets
• Unions in Amesbury, Massachusetts Need to Budge on Insurance Talks (editorial - Daily News)
• Insurance Increase Draws Complaint From Employees in Carter County, Tennessee
• Block Cronyism and Pension Double-Dipping in Georgia (column)
• Promises Made to New Jersey's Public Employees Must Be Fulfilled (letter)
• Ohio Pension Funds May Skip Divesting Iran, Sudan Links
• Ex-Comptroller's Aide Focus of Pension Probe in New York State
• Is There Really a Retirement Savings Crisis? (column)
• Shaky Financial Ground Awaits Many American Retirees

August 17, 2007

• Orange County Supervisor Moorlach Now at Ground Zero in Pension Debate
• Councilman in Newport Beach, California Calls Voter Control Over Pensions 'Wave of the Future' (column)
• San Jose, California Limits Access to Public Employee Pension Information
• Warning Pension Fund Trustees That Trees Don't Grow to the Moon (column)
• San Diego/city: Delay May Have Allowed Employees to Tap Two Lucrative Pension Perks
• San Diego/city: Union Leader Violated Policies in Using City E-Mail to Blast City Attorney on Pension Issue
• San Diego/county: Pension Board Stands Pat on 2 Hedge Funds
• San Diego/county: Nothing but Optimism at Pension Board Meeting (blog)
• Public Pension Divestment Is Contentious Issue in Ohio
• Omaha, Nebraska Pension Fund Shortfall Worsens
• Hawaii Pension Fund Posts 17.3% Gain
• Retirees Vie for Seat on CalPERS Board
• Rx for Sick Leave: A '4 Percent Solution' to OPEBs (column)
• UK Pension Funds Lose £27 Billion in Market Turmoil

August 16, 2007

• Orange County, California Raises Current Retirees' Healthcare Premiums
• Ballot Measure Would Reduce Retirement Benefits for New California State Workers (with video)
• Orange County: Is a Deal a Deal, Even If It's a Bad One? (column)
• Firefighters' Sweet Deal a Bitter Pill for San Jose, California (editorial - Mercury News)
• The Pension Debate in California: Real Problem or Red Herring?
• San Diego-Area Pension Funds Say They Have Avoided the Subprime Meltdown
• Omaha, Nebraska's Police and Fire Pension Fund Shortfall Grows to $320 Million
• Milwaukee County Pension Board Approves Investigation Into Buybacks
• Public-Sector Pension Reform (editorial - Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Alabama State Employees' Pension Fund Places $50 Million in Health Care Trust
• New York State Comptroller Sees Pension Burden Easing in State
• Comments on New Jersey's Public Employee Benefit Crisis (letters)

August 15, 2007

• California Ballot Initiative Aims to Cut Pension, Health Costs for Public Employees
• California Pension Reform Measure Moves Forward (news blog)
• Coalition Representing California Public Employees Calls Pension Reform Initiative 'Mean Spirited and Unfair'
• Newport Beach, California May Let Voters Decide on City Worker Pension Hikes
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Looks to California Supreme Court in Pension Case Dismissal
• Most in CalPERS Bite the Bullet and Pay Higher Health Insurance Premiums
• Mayor of Binghamton, New York Concerned Over Rising Cost of Public Employees' Benefits
• Should Public Pension Plans Engage in Social Investing? (issue paper)
• When Does the Debt Kill US in New Jersey? (blog)
• Immigrants May Hold Social Security Key (column)
• Learn From the Fall of Rome, US Warned by Comptroller General
• Russians Urged to Have Babies to Fight Demographic Decline

August 14, 2007

• California Draws Line on Public Employee Pensions (column)
• Seeking Pension Solutions in Yuba City and Sutter County, California (op-Ed)
• CalPERS to Halt Global Screening
• The Shame of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin's Latest Pension Scandal (op-Ed)
• Proposal to Give Costlier Police/fire Pensions to All of Baltimore's Employees Called Unrealistic
• Bill Would Tighten Baltimore's Pension Law in Aftermath of Lucrative Deal
• Boca Raton, Florida Discusses Switching Workers From Pensions to 401(k) Plan
• PBGC to Assume $24.5 Million Pension Liability of Scovill Fasteners of Clarkesville, Georgia

August 13, 2007

• San Jose, California Firefighters Awarded $26 Million in Pension Battle
• San Jose, California Police to Seek Parity in Pensions, Benefits as Personnel Costs Mount
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Aguirre Vows He'll Broaden Pension Fight Despite Court Ruling
• San Diego/city: Despite Pension Case's Demise, City Attorney Presses On
• More on Orange County, California, Seeking to Rescind Cops' Retroactive Pension Increase
• More on Orange County Seeking to Reverse Pension Gains (subscription required)
• Ohio's Public Employee Pension Funds Fear Sub-Prime Mortgage Fallout
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Pension Crisis (column)
• New Jersey's Public Employee Benefit Crisis Has No Easy Answer
• Crooked New Jersey Officials Forfeit Pensions Under New Law
• Passaic, New Jersey Health Insurance Perk Still in Place for City Council
• Baby Boomers Will Change the Scenario Regarding Tax Breaks for Senior Citizens
• The Dangers of Private Equity Funds (op-ed)
• More Employers Freezing, Closing Traditional Pension Plans
• Longer Lives Will Usher in Pension Problems for Ireland, Says New Study

August 10, 2007

• San Diego-Area Communities' Public Employee Pensions Are Also Out of Control (column)
• Cost of Public Employees' Health Benefits Overwhelming Taxpayers in Nassau County, New York
• Highland Park, Michigan Fails to Make Payments to State Pension Fund (editorial - Detroit News)

August 9, 2007

• Orange County Considers Taking Back Pension Hike (column - Sacramento Bee)
• California Federation of Teachers' President Argues Against GASB Guidelines (op-ed)
• California's SEIU Local 1000 Ups Dues 50% to Help Fight Pension Reform Initiative
• University of California Employees Won't Have to Contribute to Their Pensions -- for Now
• Stock Market Downdraft and Interest Rate Decline Hit Funding Status of US Pension Plans, According to Mellon
• Former Barclays CEO Sees Irony in Public Pension Funds' Push for Private Equity (column)
• Passaic, New Jersey Council Votes Itself Better Health Benefits Than City's Employees
• Health Insurance Premiums Could Go Up in Leavenworth County, Kansas
• Chrysler's Pension Plans Protected
• UK Pensions 'Black Hole' Closes, but Overall Funding Position of Plans Is Still 'Fragile'

August 8, 2007

• Fixing California's Pension Mess (op-ed - Orange County Register)
• Who Says I Have No Time for Sergeants? (column - Orange County Register)
• St. Louis, Missouri Defends $125 Million Municipal Bond Issue to Cover Pension Liabilities
• Massachusetts' Pension Fund Director Could Double Salary With Bonuses
• Proposed Pension Plan Bad for Taxpayers, Say 6 Ex-Chairmen of Fayette County, Georgia
• Pension Plan Proposed for Fayette County, Georgia Will Soak Taxpayers (letter)
• Protesters Want Pension Funds to Divest From Music Companies Using Vulgarity, Racial Slurs
• More Americans Age 55 and Older Are Working Full Time (pdf)

August 7, 2007

• Seeking to Limit Pension Damage in Orange County (editorial - Orange County Register)
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Says He Will Pursue Pension Fight, Urges Following Orange County's Lead
• San Jose, California to Tackle Retired Employees' Health Care Costs
• San Jose Pays More for Its Retirees' Health Benefits Than Most California Cities, Counties
• Sub-Prime Crisis Threatens Pensions
• Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputies' Union Sues to Stop Cutoff of Medical Benefits for New Retirees
• Pension Commission Consultant's Fee Just a Drop in Kentucky's $18 Billion Pension Liability Bucket (editorial - Courier-Journal)
• In UK, Private Workers 'Pay as Much' for Public Sector Pensions as Their Own
• Canadian Pension Funds Are Flexing Their Muscles Abroad

August 5, 2007

• Rolling Back the Pension Tsunami (column - Orange County Register)
• Orange County's Challenge Could Help Shrink Pension Deficits Throughout California (editorial - Press-Telegram)
• Dispute Over California Attorney's Fee Slows Work of Kentucky's Blue-Ribbon Pension Commission
• Consultants to Texas Pension Funds Stay on Job Despite Allegations of Wrongdoing
• Time to Tackle Pension Reform in Massachusetts (editorial - New Bedford Standard Times)
• North Carolina Pension Fund Posts Gain of Nearly 15 Percent
• The National Football League Has a Pension Crisis, Too

August 4, 2007

• San Diego/city: Judge Throws Out City Attorney's Claim of Illegal Pension Benefits
• San Diego/city: Pension Case All But Dead
• San Diego/city: Read the Judge's Ruling (pdf)

August 3, 2007

• Los Angeles Radio Station KFWB Does 6-Part Series on California's Public Employee Pension Tsunami
• Key Aide to Orange County Supervisor Moorlach on Pension Issue Came Out of Nowhere (column)
• San Diego/county: Was San Diego County's Retro Pension Spike Even Legal? Maybe Not (blog)
• California's Bond and Pension Debt Is 'Terrorizing' Taxpayers (column)
• Fall of Sowood Hedge Fund Hits Massachusetts Pension Fund Hard
• Massachusetts Pension Officials Defend Hedge Fund Investments
• Massachusetts Governor Rejects Judge's Disability Pension Request
• Massachusetts Governor Denies Judge Early Exit (editorial - Boston Herald)
• Superfreaky: Odd Disability Pension Requests Are Nothing New in Massachusetts
• Sweet Deals for Some: Back Door Bargains Add to Massachusetts' Pension Debt
• Disabled American Veterans Unhappy With 2 New Pension Bills
• British Airways Profit Soars on Lower Pension Costs

August 2, 2007

• Massachusetts Pension System Takes $50 Million Hit in Hedge Fund Collapse; Harvard Endowment Loses $350 Million
• Bear Stearns Blocks Withdrawals From Third Hedge Fund
• Orange County Cops' Pay Has Been Ripe for Backlash (column)
• Ventura, California Will Cut Health Benefits for Retirees
• Orange County Goes San Diego in Pensions
• Commit a Crime, Lose a Pension? (blog)
• Oklahoma State Employees' Pension Fund More Than Unfair (editorial - Tahlequah Daily Press)
• A Tale of Two Pension Funds in Massachusetts
• Rating Agency Report Calls Pension Funding Crisis Call a Myth

August 1, 2007

• Supervisors in Orange County, California Move Toward Rescinding Retroactive Pensions
• Orange County May Scale Back Deputies' Pensions
• VIDEO: Highlights of the Orange County Board of Supervisors' Meeting on Rolling Back Retroactive Pension Benefits
• Analysis Issued of Retirement Reform Ballot Initiative Filed by California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility
• Massachusetts' Retiree Health Care Expenses a 'Ticking Time Bomb' -- Tab Rivals Cost of the Big Dig
• Texas Teachers' Pension Fund Diving Head First Into Private Equity Markets
• Pension Systems Struggle Nationwide
• Macomb County, Michigan Employees, Taxpayers to Benefit From New 'Double Dipping' Pension System
• Allentown, Pennsylvania's Pension Investments Exceeding Forecast
• Private-Equity Tax Increase Measure Could Cut Into Washington State Public Employees' Pensions
• Congressional Plan to Raise Taxes on Hedge Funds Draws Criticism
• New Study: 'is There Really a Retirement Savings Crisis?'
• Defined-Benefit Plan Freezes Lose Momentum, While Defined-Contribution Saving Rates Rise
• Bankruptcy Judge to Rule on Oneida, PBGC Pension Dispute
• Tower Automotive Exits Bankruptcy With Defined-Benefit Pension Plan Intact

July 31, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Council Will Try to Put Brakes on Legal Fees
• Democrats Lose Zeal for Raising Hedge Fund Tax; Could Adversely Affect Pension Funds
• CHART: CalPERS, CalSTRS Top List of Pension Funds With Biggest Appetite for Risk
• Treasury Secretary Urges Congress to Raise Current $8.965 Trillion National Debt Limit

July 30, 2007

• Santa Clara County Gives Employees Big Raises as Deficit Builds
• Finally, Some Good News on California Public Pensions
• California Should Reduce New Employee Benefits (op-ed)
• California's Public Service Workers Deserve Support (op-ed)
• Orange County Supervisor Still at Odds With Deputies; Pension Is the Main Issue
• Pro-And-Con Debate Over Slashing Orange County Deputies' Retroactive Pension Benefits (letters)
• San Diego/city: Update on Various Pension Cases
• Bonds Funds Gone Wild? a Pension-Plan Dilemma in Orange County
• Worcester, Massachusetts Ex-City Workers Over 65 Will Go on Medicare
• Generous Pension 'Buyback' Program Costs Milwaukee County $50 Million
• Milwaukee County Could Kill 'Buybacks,' Cut Retirees' Benefits, and May Seek Refunds on Pensions
• Cookeville, Tennessee Facing Threefold Increase in OPEB Costs
• El Paso, Texas Council to Approve Second Installment of $210 Million Pension Bond Sale
• Investors Take Off Rose-Colored Glasses, See the Credit Crunch
• Two Bills Would Extend Pensions to More US Military Veterans

July 27, 2007

• Pennsylvania State Senator Rejects Pittsburgh Pension Bailout
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Aguirre Takes Another Legal Whipping (blog)
• Little Time Left for Funding Hawaii's Retiree Needs (editorial - Honolulu Advertiser)
• New Jersey Top Court Clarifies Disability Benefits
• Presidential Commission Urges Quick Fix for Veterans' Health Care and Disability Benefits

July 26, 2007

• New CalPERS Health Benefit Trust Attracts Local Government Agencies
• Massachusetts Governor Signs Law for State Takeover of Local Governments' Underperforming Pension Funds
• New Jersey's $58 Billion Health Care Liability to Be Confirmed in Report Today
• Idaho Pension System Decides Not to Divest From Sudan
• US Pension Funds Urge Shell to Abandon Iran

July 25, 2007

• $58 Billion Shortfall for New Jersey Retiree Health Care
• CalPERS Asks Portfolio Energy Companies to Minimize Iran Risk
• Plainfield, New Jersey's Public Employee Pension Cost Rises 121%

July 24, 2007

• CalSTRS Gains 21%, CalPERS Yield Is 19%; Funds Grow by $62 Billion
• Lawmakers Can't Raid Hawaii's Pension Fund, Court Rules
• Public Pension Systems Betting on Hedge Funds
• Public Pension Funds Weigh in on Iran

July 23, 2007

• Orange County Supervisor Moorlach Says Sheriff's Deputies' Retroactive Pension Hike Was Illegal and Must Be Rescinded (OC Register)
• Orange County Supervisor Seeks to Cut Deputies' Pensions (LA Times)
• Legal Test Ahead for Pension Pumping in Orange County (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Orange County Supervisor Moorlach Moves to Cancel Retroactive Pension Benefit (Daily Pilot)
• Orange County Supervisor Moorlach Explains Reasons Behind Call for Pension Rollback (column)
• San Diego/city: 2008 Vote, Pension Issue, Labor Contracts to Collide
• Alarm Is Sounded on Rapid Growth of Alabama's Public Employee Pensions and Benefits
• Illinois Doesn't Have Enough Money to Make Ramped-Up Payment to Pension Fund (column)
• Numbers Show New Jersey Communities Face Huge Bills for Pensions
• $1 Billion in Property Taxes Needed for New Jersey's Public Employee Pensions
• Kid-Glove Treatment of Fort Worth's $411 Million Pension Deficit (editorial - Star-Telegram)
• UAW Warns Carmakers About Expectations
• UAW, US Carmakers Must Close Labor and Benefits Cost Gap to Survive (column)

July 20, 2007

• In California: Billion-Dollar Problem, Thousand-Dollar Reform (editorial - Orange County Register)
• San Diego/county: Board Won't Lower Pension Fund's 8.25% Projected Rate of Return
• Hedge Funds, Private Equity, and the Little Guy (column)
• Massachusetts Legislature Approves Bill to Sieze Assets of 19 Underperforming Local Government Pension Funds
• New Hires in Greene County, New York Will Pay Up to Half of Cost for Health Benefits Upon Retirement
• New Jersey Pension Fund Earns 17 Percent (blog)
• As UAW Enters Negotiations With Detroit, Retirees Outnumber Workers, Cost $12 Billion Annually
• Contract Talks on Retiree Health Care May Change Auto Industry
• Italy Reaches Deal on Pension Reform, Including Increase in Retirement Age
• IMF Says It Supports Pension Reform in Chile

July 19, 2007

• Marin County, California Cuts Retiree Health-Care Benefits for New Hires
• Some Fresno County, California Employees May Have to Pay More to Pension Fund Instead of Getting Refunds
• Funding OPEB With Pension Profits; Optimizing The Taxpayers' Money (column)
• Fort Worth, Texas City Council Adjusts Pension Formulas to Deal With $410 Million Liability
• Oklahoma Legislator Will Make Effort to Close Pension Loophole
• Ex-New Jersey Legislator Stripped of State Pension
• Texas Governor May Call Special Legislative Session on Iran Divestment
• Tax Increase in H.r. 2834 Would Hurt Pension Funds (column)
• Bear Stearns: 2 Hedge Funds Wiped Out
• Who Will Be Left Holding the Bag as Subprime Mortgages Go Bad? (column)
• Record Numbers Work Past Pension Age in Uk

July 18, 2007

• County Pension Plans in Trouble, Says Study by California Taxpayers' Association
• Cal-Tax Issues Report on Cost to Counties of Growing Pension and Benefit Costs (press release - pdf)
• Read the Cal-Tax Report 'A Look at County Employee Fringe Benefits and Retirement' (pdf)
• KQED Radio Forum: Public Employee Pensions and Healthcare in California
• Bill Puts a Lid on Pensions of California's State Officers
• Arnold's Stewardship of California Grows Ever-More Maddening (blog)
• San Diego/city: Appellate Court Hears Arguments in Pension Conflict-Of-Interest Case
• Texas Governor Wants State's Pension Funds Free of Connections to Iran
• Pension Fund Divestment and Fiscal Sanity (column)
• It's the Pensions, Stupid (blog)
• Politicians in Texas and Connecticut Doing a Number on Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
• Dow Chemical to End Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• Retiree Health Morphs Into 401(k)-Like Benefit
• The UAW and Auto Industry Retirees' Health Care (column)

July 17, 2007

• The Push Behind Pension Prop. 13 (column)
• The Medicare Fiscal Time-Bomb (editorial - Washington Times)
• CalSTRS Report Warns Trustees of Possible Rough Ride in 2007-08
• Report Slams San Jose, California's High Rate of Police and Fire Disability Pensions
• San Jose Fire Official Defends High Rate of Disability Pensions
• Read San Jose's Report on Its Disability Pensions (pdf)
• Public Pensions Are 'Sucking Up Too Much of City's Money' in Pacific Grove, California
• Oklahoma Retirees' Pensions Can Exceed Their Old Paychecks
• Indianapolis, Indiana May Increase Income Tax to Help Pay for Pensions
• Expenses of Michigan Delegates to Hawaii Pension Conference Raise Eyebrows
• Public Pension Funds Avoid the Subprime Meltdown
• PBGC Picks Up Tom's Foods Pension Plan With $43 Million Liability

July 16, 2007

• Heirs, State Battle Over Windfall $6.4 Million Pension in California
• San Jose, California Must Cut Disability Pension Costs (editorial - Mercury News)
• Despite Big Growth, CalSTRS Is at Mercy of Global Market Risks
• Ex-State Comptroller's Sons and Aides Investigated Over Business Ties to New York's Pension Fund
• New Jersey Senator Accused of Fraud, Pension-Padding Preps for Winter Trial
• Idaho's Pension Plan Notches 20% Gain
• Pennsylvania Pension Funds, Members Need White House to Be Ally in Court (editorial - Morning Call)
• Major Texas Pension Fund Makes a Big Push Into Hedge Funds
• Worcester, Massachusetts Pension Fund Votes to Turn Assets Over to State
• PBGC Takes Over Southen Indiana Firm's Pension Plan With $4.6 Million Liability
• Wall Street Wakes Up to More Risk (column)
• United Airlines Can't Stop Pilots' Pension Suit Against Union, Judge Says

July 13, 2007

• California Pension Commission Hears of $63 Billion Funding Gap Despite Improvement
• California Pension Panel Gets an Earful on Future of Retirement Costs
• Colorado's Pension Fund Rebounding, But Unfunded Benefits Remain at $12.8 Billion
• South Carolina Commission Recommends Changes in Public Employee Benefits
• Read the South Carolina's GEAR Commisssion's Report (pdf)
• Rhode Island's Pension Costs to Soar 14 Percent in Coming Year
• Rhode Island Auditor Tells Pension Plan Horror Tale (column)
• Legislation Might Restrict How Pension Funds Invest in Hedge Funds
• Finland Seduces Seniors to Work Longer

July 12, 2007

• California's Pension Commission Meets Today in Burlingame
• California's Pension Commission Announces Proposed Meeting Schedule for Remainder of 2007 (pdf)
• Opinion Backs Pension for Maryland Agency's Police Chief
• Hedge Funds: When Markets Turn Murky (editorial - Boston Globe)

July 11, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Attorney Says Tax Increase May Solve Pension Deficit (audio)
• San Diego/city: Radio Interview With San Diego's City Attorney (mp3)
• Traditional Pensions Rapidly Disappearing, Says New Study
• San Marcos, California School District Reaches Agreement to Control Health Costs
• Connecticut's Governor Signs Bill to Reduce $6.9 Billion Shortfall in Teachers' Pension Fund by Issuing $2 Billion in Pension Obligation Bonds
• Study of Omaha, Nebraska's Fire and Police Recommends Cuts in Staff, Wages, Pensions
• Increasing Tax on Hedge Funds Wouldn't Hurt Workers, Pension Funds Say
• Subprime Mortgage Losses Won't Be Limited to Homeowners (blog)
• Bank of England Closes Final Salary Pension Plan, Raises Retirement Age

July 10, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Attorney Offers to End Pension Lawsuit
• San Diego/city: City Attorney's Latest Pension Proposal a Tough Sell
• Rhode Island's Auditor General Recommends Doing Away With Locally-Run Pension Plans
• Read the Rhode Island Auditor General's Report (pdf)
• A Mortgage-Securities Hedge Fund Suspends Payouts
• Healthcare Costs, Benefits to Get Front Seat at Talks Between Automakers and Workers
• GASB Asks for Input on Pension Accounting Standards
• To Participate in the GASB Survey, Go Here

July 9, 2007

• Restoring Limits to Borrow-And-Spend in California (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Grand Jury in Ventura County, California Sounds Warning on $482 Million Pension Fund Deficit
• San Diego/city: Retirees Wait on Pension Case Outcome
• S&P, Moody's Mask $200 Billion of Subprime Bond Risk; Pension Funds Could Be Losers
• US Comptroller Says Medicare Program Endangers Financial Stability (with video)
• China May Be US Retirees' Lifeline
• Probe of New York's Pension Fund May Result in Criminal Charges
• Illinois Governor's Plan to Lease Lottery to Fund Pensions Is Rejected by Legislature
• Amid Illinois Governor's Political Games, Pension Law Still Needs Revision (column)
• Stocks' Surge, Rising Interest Rates Boost Both Private and Public-Sector Pension Funds

July 6, 2007

• Contra Costa County Taxpayers Should Get to Know OPEB Now (column)
• San Diego County Is in Sad Shape, But San Francisco County's Problem Is 14 Times As Bad! (blog)
• Pension Loophole Is Boon for Oklahoma Politicians
• Missouri to Cut Taxes on Social Security, Government Pension Benefits
• Massachusetts Cities' Leaders Back Governor's Local Aid Plan
• Hedge Funds' Exposure to Catastrophe Bond Market Could Spell Disaster for Pension Funds
• Hedge Funds Raise Fears in Some Analysts; About 25% of Money Comes From Pension Funds
• How This Boom Differs From the Dot-Com Days: Hedge Funds Make Money
• Ohio's Attorney General Investigating Bond Credit Rating Agencies

July 5, 2007

• California Governor's Administration Loses Pension Bond Battle
• San Francisco Begins to Grapple With $4.9 Billion Unfunded Health Care Liability
• Escalating Pension, Benefit Costs Cause Tension in San Luis Obispo County, California
• South Carolina Governor Cites $9.2 Billion Health Care Liability in Veto Message
• Florida's Local Governments Reassess Generous Health Plans, May Trim Benefits
• New York City Audits Reveal $1.1 Million Paid in Pension Double Dipping in 2005
• Dukes County's Underperforming Pension Fund Eyed by Massachusetts for Takeover
• AARP to Seek Review of Retiree Health Care Ruling
• New Retirement Study Released: 'Why Are Widows So Poor?'

July 4, 2007

• Court Rejects California Governor's Attempt to Issue $525 Million in Pension Bonds Without Voter Approval
• California Court Rejects State Pension Bonds; Victors Call Ruling 'Fourth of July Gift' to Taxpayers (press release)
• Read the Official Court Opinion in FACT's California Pension Bonds Case (pdf)
• Pesky Constitution Kills California Pension Bonds (blog)
• Death of a Gimmick in California (blog)
• Eager Local Government Borrowers in California, Beware (blog)
• Pennsylvania Taxpayers Will Cover Losses From Bill's Darfur Divestment Requirement
• Worcester, Massachusetts Pension Fund Could Be in State Hands Next Week
• New Rules Are Pushing Companies to Reconsider Pension Benefits

July 3, 2007

• Former California Assemblyman Fighting for Public Employee Pension Reform
• The Joy and Personal Prosperity of Turning 50 (column)
• Social Insecurity System
• Hedge Fund Bail-Out Reveals Dangers of a Bear Hug (column)
• Finland Seduces Seniors to Work Longer
• Scandal Over Lost Pensions May Be the Final Straw for Japan's Ruling Party
• Free Book Now Available Online: 'What Women Need to Understand About Retirement' (press release)

July 2, 2007

• Curb California's Public Employee Retirement Benefits (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Another Run at Public Workers' Pensions in California (column)
• San Diego/county: Trust Idea for Retirees' Health Benefits Splits County, Unions
• Gilroy, California's 'Retired' Police Chief Working Shorter Weeks
• Pension Plan Threatens Springfield, Missouri's Financial Stability (op-Ed)
• Watch Those Underwater Government Pension Plans in Texas (column)
• Weak Pension Bill Won't Help Massachusetts Taxpayers Much (editorial - Salem News)
• Turn Natick, Massachusetts Pension Investments Over to the State (editorial - Daily News Tribune)
• Unused Time Worth $93,000 for Retired Cop in Bergen County, New Jersey
• Passaic County, New Jersey Plans Early Retirement for 96 Workers
• Police Commissioner's Pension Is Legal, Says Baltimore's Mayor
• The Achilles Heel of Public Employee Benefits (column)
• EU Countries Not Having Enough Babies to Pay for Pensioners

June 29, 2007

• San Diego/city: Judge Accepts City Attorney's Claim That Thousands of Employees Could Lose Some Pension Funds
• Mississippi's Pension Fund Has $6 Billion Shortfall
• Some Southern State Pension Funds Are Seriously Underfunded (blog)
• West Virginia Board Debates Limits of Law to Pay Down $4 Billion Health Care Liablity
• Bill Offers US Veterans' Benefits to Filipino Vets
• Senate Bill Would Give Benefits to 18,155 Filipino World War 2 Veterans
• Korea's Pension Reform Bill Would Reduce Benefits

June 28, 2007

• California Pension Reform Initiative Would Extend Retirement Age, Save Hundreds of Billions
• [ AUDIO OF ABOVE STORY ]
• Chicago Transit Authority Pay Hikes Would Be Eaten Up by Pension Fund, Health Care Costs
• Michigan Senate Passes Bills to Reform Teachers' Pensions and Health Benefits
• Massachusetts House Backs State Control of Pensions
• Massachusetts Pension Reforms Close, Not Close Enough (editorial - Boston Herald)
• No Gold Star for Denver Public Schools in $80 Million Pension Error (column - Rocky Mountain News)
• The House That Hedge Funds Built (column)
• Social Security, Immigration Entwined in Debate

June 27, 2007

• Contra Costa County Supervisors Take Step on $2.6 Billion Health Care Liability
• Facing California's Debt Bomb (blog)
• San Diego/city: Bankruptcy Mentioned Again in Pension Talks
• West Virginia Bolsters Teacher Pension Fund With $807 Million From Bond Sale
• Despite Strong 15.7% Return, Colorado Pension Fund Still Has $12.8 Billion Shortfall
• Massachusetts May Seize Assets of 3 Pension Systems
• What Massachusetts' Cities and Towns Need Now (editorial - Boston Globe)
• DC Metro May Have Fooled US Again (column)
• Ohio's Public Employee Pension Funds Used as Political Pawns (letter)
• Hedge Fund Fallout Ripples
• Hedge Funds Take on New Political Role
• End Pensions for Congressional Felons (column)
• Czech Commission to Assess Pension Reform Soon

June 26, 2007

• California Pension Reform Initiative Will Raise Public Employees' Retirement Ages
• CalPERS' Healthcare Trust Fund Could Be Replay of Pension Debacle (column)
• Fort Worth, Texas Moves on $410 Million Pension Shortfall (editorial - Star-Telegram)
• Texas Attorney General Urges Statewide Public Pension Reforms to Deal With $23 Billion in Unfunded Liabilities
• DC Metro Paid $79 Million to Union's Pension Fund
• New Jersey Governor's Secret Giveaway on Health Care Is Sickening (column)
• Florida Firefighter Pensions: It's Another World (column)
• Massachusetts House to Take Up Pension Funds Bill
• It's Government Employees Versus the Rest of America, Says Presidential Hopeful (blog)
• Bear Stearns May Have to Save Second Hedge Fund, Merrill Analyst Says
• Calderon Is No Fox in Mexican Pension Crisis, Bid to Raise Taxes

June 25, 2007

• Contra Costa County Supervisors to Discuss Cuts to Budget, $2.6 Billion Health Care Liability
• Pursuit of Balance (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• 'Over-Funded' Public Employee Pensions? Hardly! (column)
• Small-Town Educator Now Wields Power in World Financial Centers as CalSTRS' Chairwoman
• Pension Debt Huge Threat to Public Schools' Budget in Denver, Colorado
• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Getting Crushed by Pension Burden (editorial - Boston Herald)
• Meals Tax Won't Cure Fiscal Woes of Massachusetts' Cities and Towns (editorial - Gloucester Daily Times)
• Pension Plum (editorial - Baltimore Sun)
• Rein in Hedge Funds (op-Ed)

June 23, 2007

• Prop. 13 for California's Pensions (column)
• Orange County Supervisor Moorlach Supports California Pension Reform Initiative
• A Candid Assessment of Kentucky's Pension Problems (editorial - Cincinnati Post)
• Loss of Pension Is Fitting Punishment (editorial - Wheeling News-Register)
• San Diego/city: in Online Chat, City Attorney Discusses Pensions and Other Topics
• Bill Is Offered to Increase Tax on Private Equity

June 22, 2007

• Initiative Filed in California to Reform Pensions
• Pension Reform Initiative Filed in California Would Save $500 Billion (press release)
• Prop. 13 for California's Pensions (column)
• Another Pension Battle in California? (blog)
• New Jersey State Budget's Massive Hole: Pension Debts
• How to Deal With Megabillions in California Pension Debt? Cut Retirees' Premiums! (blog)
• CalPERS to Boost Activist Investing, Hedge Funds
• New Hampshire Legislative Committee Okays Pension Reform, Retirees to Get Raise
• Exploding Benefit Costs Hit Saratoga Springs, New York
• Disability Loophole Pads Judges' Hefty Pension$ in Massachusetts
• North Carolina House Passes Pension-Forfeiting Bill
• Houston, Texas Reaches Tentative Deal on Employee Pension Fund
• Many Companies Weighing Options for Retiree Medical Benefits, Study Finds (press release)
• Pulling Pension Fund Money Can Break Iran (column)
• Japan's Divorce Rate Rises Following New Split Pension Rule

June 21, 2007

• CalPERS Battles Health Care Cost Squeeze
• CHART: What California Workers Will Pay for Health Care in 2008
• Judge Rules Oregon Retirees Won't Have to Pay Back State Pension Fund
• Young Oregon Public Employees to Pay for Old Excesses
• DC Metro's Publicly Funded Pension System Is the Public's Business (editorial - Examiner)
• Northern Kentucky Officials Ask for Help With Pension Costs
• Knox County, Tennessee Pension Director Defends California Trip
• Delray Beach, Florida Pension Board May Sue Former Consultant Smith Barney
• $2 Billion in Pension Relief for Airlines Faulted by Some Members of Congress
• Trust Fund for Health Care May Fall Short for UAW, Says Analyst
• Flaws in Canada's Defined-Benefit Pension Plans Need to Be Fixed (column)

June 20, 2007

• San Diego/county: Supervisors Approve Retiree Health Care Compromise (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego/county: Supervisors Approve Pension Compromise (North County Times)
• San Diego/county: Accord OK'd on Retiree Benefits (Union-Tribune)
• Key CalPERS Panel Endorses 6.3% Health-Care Premium Hike in 2008
• New Jersey Retreats on State Retiree Health Co-Pays
• Proposal Introduced for Michigan Public Employees to Pay for Health Care
• Georgia Braces for Wave of Public Employee Retirements
• Pittsburgh Mayor Seeks State-Wide Fix for Pennsylvania's Municipal Pension Woes
• Panel Studying Overhaul Possibilities for Kentucky's Pensions
• Massachusetts' Pension System Must Be Reformed (editorial - Metrowest Daily News)
• Washington DC Transit Authority Employees Want Secrecy on Pensions Lifted
• Ohio Legislature's Posturing on Pension Funds Purely Political (letter)
• United Nations Plans Pension to Reduce Old Age Poverty in Developing Countries

June 19, 2007

• San Diego/county: Is It Finally Over? (blog)
• CalPERS to Ease Up on Social Activist Role
• California's Legislators and Top Elected Officials Get Pay Raises
• CHART: California Officials' Pay Raises
• Kentucky State Workers' Pension Plan to Be Reviewed by Blue-Ribbon Commission
• South Carolina Must Face Up to Demographic Time Bomb (editorial - the State)
• US Supreme Court Rejects Case on Michigan's Use of Prisoners' Pensions
• Retirement on Hold for Baby Boomers (editorial - Toledo Blade)
• Fear for the Future Towers Over Japan's Seniors

June 18, 2007

• San Diego/county: Supervisors at Crossroads on Health Plan; Proposal Would End Some Retiree Benefits
• San Diego/city: City Attorney's Keynote to Recent Conference Included Pension Issue (transcript)
• Texas Governor Vetoes $154 Million for Employee Benefits at Community Colleges
• New Jersey Governor's Double Standard on Double-Dipping (column)
• 'Target-Date' Funds Miss the Bulls-Eye; Public Employee Pensions Have Different Needs (column)
• Big Employers Propose Health Benefits Overhaul
• Department of Energy Scraps Plan to End Reimbursements for Defined Benefit Pensions
• Legislation Would Exempt Reservists From 401(k) Penalty
• Pension Funds Scandal Rocks Greece

June 15, 2007

• Baltimore, Maryland Faces $2.9 Billion Gap in Retiree Health Benefits
• Trying to Save, New Jersey Drove Up Pension Costs
• West Virginia Cuts Projected OPEB Liability of $8 Billion in Half
• Public Pension Funds Throw Their Weight Around in Private Boardrooms (column)
• Oakland County, Michigan Votes to Sell $570 Million of Notes to Fund Health Care Liability
• Worcester County, Massachusetts May Merge Pension Fund With State
• GASB 45 Accounting Rule Unlikely to Affect Taxpayers in Dallas, Texas Says City's CFO
• Retired Massachusetts Police Officer Acquitted of Mail Fraud in Pension-Boosting Scheme

June 14, 2007

• Contra Costa County Supervisors Are Mortgaging the Future, Says Grand Jury
• VIDEO: Contra Costa County Faces Staggering Retiree Debt of $2.6 Billion, Says Grand Jury Report (KPIX-TV)
• San Diego/county: Legal Costs Concern County Pension System (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Alabama Educators' Pension and Health Care Programs Will Soon Be Under Attack, Says Exec
• Canadian Revolt Over New Pension Accounting Rules

June 13, 2007

• Contra Costa County Grand Jury Slams Supervisors on $2.6 Billion Retiree Health Care Liability
• Contra Costa County Grand Jury Report: 'Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! County Drifts Ever Closer to the OPEB Rocks' (pdf)
• San Diego/county: Pension Fund Impeded Grand Jury Investigation, Report Finds
• San Diego/county: Pension Fund Chief Denies Impeding Grand Jury
• Balanced Budget Must Be Legal Requirement for California (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Appointment to Finance Board Post Would Aid Nominee in Collecting New Jersey Pension

June 12, 2007

• Moving Past Denial on California's Retiree Health Care Liability (column)
• San Diego/county: Appeal Overturns Pension Benefits' Retroactive Boost
• High Cost of Pensions Straps Florida's Cities (editorial - St. Petersburg Times)
• As Pennsylvania's Pension Obligations Grow, Fiscal Stability Is Threatened (editorial - Patriot-News)
• Pennsylvania Entities Shifting Health Costs to Workers and Retirees
• Retiring Illinois Prosecutor Could Reap Benefits of Salary, Pension
• Apply Accounting Standards to Feds? (editorial - Tennessean)
• Many Baby Boomers Expect to Retire Later Than Their Parents Did
• New Study Highlights Need for Social Security

June 11, 2007

• Benefits Bind: California's Public Sector Reels at Retiree Healthcare Tab
• Benefits Bind: Contrasts Between Public and Private Workers' Benefits in California Can Stir Resentment
• Benefits Bind: Chart Showing Benefit Obligations of Several of California's Governmental Entities (pdf)
• Benefits Bind: California Retiree Healthcare Costs Expected to Climb Steeply in the Next 20 Years (Flash)
• CalSTRS' Deficit Increases; Could Reach $158 Billion in 30 Years Without Action
• CalSTRS Urges Energy Companies to Review Growing Risk of Business in Iran (press release)
• Battle Creek, Michigan Struggling With $1.48 Million Shortfall in Police and Fire Healthcare Funding
• New Bedford, Massachusetts City Officials Silent on Looming Health Care Liability (op-ed)
• Macon, Georgia's Mayor Faces Fight Over Plan to Cut Police, Fire Pension Fund Contributions
• Clock Ticks on Deal for Houston, Texas Pension Fund Changes
• Florida Governor Signs Iran Divestment Bill
• US Automakers Look to Shift Huge Health-Care Burden to Workers
• Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton Offers Detroit Automakers Health Care Aid
• Court Permits Employers Flexibility for Retiree Benefits
• General Motors, Ford, Chrysler Discuss Joint Health-Care Fund, People Say
• Former PBGC Head Says Don't Abandon Traditional Pension Plans

June 8, 2007

• San Diego/county: Amaranth Asks Judge to Toss Out Pension Board's Lawsuit
• San Diego/county: Pension Board Knew It Was Making Risky Investment, Collapsed Hedge Fund Says
• Early Retirements Burden Ohio Teachers' Pension Fund, Says Report
• REPORT: 'Golden Peaks and Perilous Cliffs: Rethinking Ohio's Teacher Pension System'
• Springfield, Missouri Officials Ponder Fix for Pension Funding Shortfall
• New Jersey Governor's Pension Debt Fix, Made Simple
• New Jersey Governor's Aide Rolls Up Pension Credits
• Ohio's Public Employee Pension Systems to Adopt Iran, Sudan Divestment Policies
• Florida's Governor to Sign Bill Banning Pension Fund Investments in Iran, Sudan

June 7, 2007

• Public Projects Lure Pension Funds' Cash
• Denver, Colorado's Teachers Flock to Defend Their Pensions
• Bill Aims to Protect Pension Benefits for Deployed Troops
• US Senate Panel Asks Airlines for Pension Funding Data
• Companies Find Rehiring Retirees Creates More Experienced Staff

June 6, 2007

• Connecticut Joins Texas in Fighting New Governmental Accounting Rules
• Iran Divestment Bill Passes in California Senate; Would Affect CalPERS, CalSTRS
• San Diego/city: Retiree Health Care Liability Drops Slightly to $1.09 Billion
• Plan to Issue Bonds to Reduce $7 Billion Connecticut Teachers' Pension Fund Liability Gets Legislative Ok
• Nevada Legislature Changes Spending Cap to Help Fund $3.8 Billion Employee Benefits Deficit
• Denver Schools' Pension Board Rejects $275 Million Loan Idea
• Pennsylvania's State Pension Systems Need Realistic Strategies (column)
• The Pension Trap (op-Ed)
• Frankfort Center, New York Volunteer Firefighters' Pension Plan Hits Roadblock
• Top Senate Republicans Want Airline Pension Break Reconsidered
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Calls for Assistance

June 5, 2007

• New San Francisco Police Contract Is One Gift That Will Keep on Giving (column)
• CalPERS to Invest in Containing Health Costs
• CalPERS Is Sole Investor in Health Care Venture Fund
• Port Orange, Florida Balks at Police Pension Hike
• San Diego/city: Second of Four Late Financial Statements Issued
• Looking for Mr. Bagholder: America's Pension Funds (blog)
• PBGC's Off-Balance Sheet Liability Is $73 Billion

June 4, 2007

• Banks Sell 'Toxic Waste' CDOs to CalPERS, Texas Teachers Fund
• Ousted Official's Fight for Pension in Quincy, Massachusetts Is Being Watched Closely
• Utah Retirement Systems Not Buying Into 'Terror-Free Investing' Effort
• Congress Weighs Using Pension Funds as Agents of Change
• Group Turns Governance Spotlight on Pension Plans
• OECD to US: Reform Social Security, Improve Schools

June 1, 2007

• Los Angeles County Has $20 Billion Unfunded Healthcare Liability for Public Employees
• Experts Discuss California's $48 Billion Unfunded OPEB Liability at Commission Hearing
• Testimony at Commission Hearing on California’s Other Post-Employment Benefits
• CalSTRS Report Sees No End to Rising Healthcare Costs Squeezing Retirees
• Pension Fund in New Jersey Faces Scrutiny From SEC, US Attorney
• Judge Rules Convicted Former Illinois Governor Ryan Gets No Pension

May 31, 2007

• SEC Is Investigating New Jersey's Public Employee Pension Funding
• How Three California Legislators Helped CalSTRS Waterboard Taxpayers (blog)
• Increased Pension Costs in Louisville, Kentucky Eat Up New Revenue
• Washington DC Transit Authority Refuses to Open Meeting on Pension Fund to Public, Press
• Iran Divestment a Bad Idea for Ohio Pension Funds (editorial - Columbus Dispatch)
• Washington Education Association Seeks Two Pension Benefits for One (editorial - Seattle Times)
• Proposed Pension, Benefit Strategy Is Way to Go for Chicago Transit Authority (letter)
• Illinois Legislature Approves Cook County Pension Buyouts

May 30, 2007

• Federal Government Recorded a $1.3 Trillion Loss Last Year Using Corporate Accounting Standards, Says USA Today Analysis
• Public Pays for Pensions but Washington, DC Metro Only Offers Secrecy
• Metro DC Pensions: a Taxpayer Rip-Off (editorial - Examiner)
• Future Retirees in Fort Worth, Texas May Have to Pay Own Health Insurance Premiums
• Jackson, Michigan May Change Retiree Health Benefits
• Make Pension Ban Automatic (editorial - Hartford Courant)
• Accounting, Texas-Style
• Pension Crash Landing (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• Workers Giving Retirement the Boot
• Taxes Take More and More From Retirement

May 29, 2007

• Don't Forgive CalPERS for Its $10 Billion Error (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• California Public Employee Post-Employment Benefits Commission to Hold Hearing Thursday in Rancho Cucamonga
• California Public Agencies Increase Incentives to Lure Talent
• San Diego/city: A Success for City Attorney Aguirre (blog)
• Split Decision on Retiree Benefit Hikes in Texas (blog)
• Washington, DC Transit Employees Getting a Free Ride to Retirement
• Michigan's Public Employee Benefits Must Be Controlled (op-ed)
• Vote Nears on Police Pension Bill in Rhode Island State Senate
• Repairing Social Security

May 26, 2007

• CalSTRS Doing Better, But Still Short by $19.6 Billion
• US Airlines May Get $2 Billion Pension Break From Iraq War Spending Bill
• American Airlines' Pilots Union Cautions Management on Pension Contributions (press release)
• Pilots Union Backs Higher Retirement Age

May 25, 2007

• US House Passes War Spending Bill Containing Provision for Pension Relief for Two Airlines
• US Congress Weighs New Pension Relief for Airlines
• San Diego/city: California Supreme Court Refuses to Hear City Attorney's Pension Lawsuit Appeal
• San Diego/city: Another Defeat for City Attorney on Pension Lawsuit (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• California State Workers Flock to CalPERS' Retirement Planning Fairs
• Gain Sharing Promise to Washington State Employees Broken (editorial - the Olympian)
• New Hampshire Senate Boosts Pension System
• Massachusetts Governor Supports Effort to 'Tighten' Pension Rules
• Ex-PBGC Head to Lead New Pension Consultancy Firm

May 24, 2007

• Chicago Transit Authority Has Worst-Funded Public Pension in Illinois (editorial - Chicago Tribune)
• New Hampshire Retirees Want Raises to Keep Coming From Troubled Retirement System
• AUDIO: New Hampshire Retirees Want Raises to Keep Coming From Troubled Retirement System (Windows Media Player required)
• Berwyn Heights, Maryland to Switch Employees to State's Defined-Benefit Plan
• 76% of New Jersey's Government Retirees Stay in State
• Social Security's Slow, Broken System of Benefits
• Hundreds in Mexico Protest Pension Reforms

May 23, 2007

• Texas Becomes Only State to Buck GASB 45 Pension Accounting Rule
• Michigan House Tackles Bills Taxing Pensions, Limiting Benefits of Public Employees
• Texas Tells GASB What It Can Do With Its Rules (blog)
• It's Long Past Time for Pension Reform in Massachusetts (editorial - Boston Herald)
• 3 of 4 US Corporate Plans in Peril, Says Study by Mckinsey & Co.
• Motorola Out to Cut $1.2 Billion Pension Shortfall
• Profits Are Back, So Airline Workers Want Some of Their Benefits Back
• Congress' Interest Has Hedge-Fund Managers Lining Up Lobbyists

May 22, 2007

• San Diego/county: Supervisors to Consider Pension Board's Counterproposal on Health Benefits
• CalPERS Workers Lose Blue Shield Health Option in Lake County
• CalPERS Reviews Ex-CHP Officer's Disability Pension
• Springfield, Missouri Budget on Hold Due to $45 Million Pension Shortfall
• Chicago Transit Authority Wants Workers to Pay More Towards Pensions, Health Insurance
• New Jersey Bill Could Push Public Employee Health Costs Higher
• No Tax Hike in Michigan? Then End Tax Breaks on Pensions, Social Security (editorial - Detroit Free Press)
• Newton, Massachusetts May Lead the Way on Transfer to State Pension System

May 21, 2007

• GASB 45 Auditing Rule Is Put at Risk by Texas Bill
• Contra Costa County's Pension Problem Is Huge and Growing (op-ed)
• Retiree Benefits Could Cost Redding, California $90 Million Over 30 Years
• Pension Shortfall of $2 Million Expected in Monterey Park, California
• Reality With Retirees (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Wellesley, Massachusetts Voters Pass Measure to Fund $18 Million in OPEBs
• Uncertainty Reigns Again for New Hampshire's Retirees
• Revoking Pensions for Corruption in Connecticut (editorial - New York Times)
• One Job, One Pension in New Jersey (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• Automakers Have a Combined Pension, Health Liability of $95 Billion (editorial - St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Pension Proposals Are Worth a Look (editorial - Investment News)

May 18, 2007

• Sacramento County Supervisors Vote to Drop Retirees' Medical and Dental Subsidies
• Unions Seek to Reverse Pension Reforms Made Two Years Ago in Rhode Island
• New Jersey Pension Funds Consider Investing in Toll Roads (blog)
• Detroit Mayor Cancels Trip to Hawaii Pension Conference After Learning Reporters Would Follow Him
• Government Accounted for More Than Half of All Health Expenditures Made in 2006
• Daimler, Cerberus Committed to Chrysler Pension, Says Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
• Easing Canada's Pension Crunch (editorial - Toronto Star)

May 17, 2007

• Hundreds of Retired Public Employees in Illinois Receive Six-Figure Pensions
• VIDEO: Six-Figure Pensions in Illinois (RealPlayer required)
• CalPERS Raises Fees, Rejects a Drug Co-Pay
• Sacramento County, California Looks at Cutting Retiree Health Care Subsidy
• Sacramento County Can't Afford to Continue Extra Retirement Perk (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• State Senator Seeks University of California Pension Board Seat for Workers
• Stock Market Bolsters New Jersey Pension Funds
• Should Public Employee Pension Funds Invest or Divest?
• House Committee Passes Six Veterans' Health Care Measures

May 16, 2007

• San Diego/county: Pension Fund Subject of Grand Jury Report
• CalPERS Near to Boosting Medical Co-Payments, May Exit Rural Counties
• Firms Shift More Medical Costs to Workers, Milliman Study Says
• Read or Download the Milliman Study on Shifting of Medical Costs to Employees (pdf)
• Ohio Pension Fund Boards Balk at Iran Divestment Bill
• El Paso, Texas Council Approves Sale of $100 Million in Pension Bonds
• Ballooning Employee Pension Tab Will Test Houston Mayor's Financial Acumen (editorial - Houston Chronicle)
• Washington Teachers Union Files Suit Over Loss of Pension 'Gain-Sharing'
• Port St. Lucie, Florida Police Officers Join DROP Retirement Program

May 15, 2007

• Contra Costa County Budget Healthy Now, but Trouble Looms With $2.6 Billion Liability on Horizon
• CalPERS Rejects California Legislature's Iran Divestment Bill
• Neo-Conservatives Are Leading Iran Divestment Drive
• New Hampshire Senate Endorses Pension Increase for State Retirees Despite $3 Billion Deficit
• UAW Says Chrysler Sale Includes Pension Contribution
• Daimler Willing to Pay to Escape Chrysler's Pension, Health Care Obligations
• The Best Mother's Day Present: a Secure Future (op-ed)
• For Mother's Sake, Tweak Social Security (op-ed)

May 14, 2007

• 'Servants' Become the Masters (column)
• DaimlerChrysler Would Be Freed From $20 Billion in Pension, Health Liabilities in Sale of Chrysler to Private Firm
• CalPERS in Bind Trying to Provide Reasonable Health Insurance Rates for All Members
• $100 Million Bond Sale Might Ease Pension Deficit for El Paso, Texas
• Houston, Texas Can't Meet Full Pension Fund Obligation Without Cuts or Tax Increase
• Pension Changes a Challenge for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Soaring Health Costs Squeeze Massachusetts Communities, Forcing Cutbacks
• Public Employee Pension Costs Could Force Layoffs, Service Cuts in Concord, New Hampshire
• New Hampshire's State Workers Needn't Rush Into Retirement (editorial - Concord Monitor)
• A Rich Tale of Two State Pension Plans in Kentucky (column)
• State Workers' Pensions and Health Costs Are Driving Rhode Island's Budget (column)
• Pensions' Investments in Hedge Funds Could Leave Taxpayers Holding the Bag (column)
• A Contrarian on Retirement Says Wait to Start Taking Social Security (column)
• UK Widow, 99, Declared Dead After Going on Holiday; Pension Cancelled

May 12, 2007

• Texas House Rejects GASB 45 By Unanimous Vote
• Read Texas Bill HB2365 Rejecting GASB 45 (pdf)
• San Dieguito School District's Medical Insurance Debt for Retirees Totals $22.5 Million
• Rein in Retiree Health Benefits in Carlsbad, California (editorial - North County Times)
• New Report Will Look at Retirement Income, Social Security and an Aging America

May 11, 2007

• California's State Controller Steps Forward on Health Care Costs (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Prefunding = 'Throwing More Money at the Problem,' Says California's Finance Director (blog)
• California Voters Should Approve Long-Term Pension Obligations, Says Jarvis Taxpayers Association
• New Jersey Governor Signs Bill That Will Pare Public Employee Pension Rolls
• New Jersey Pension Bill Was Only a Small First Step, Says Legislator (press Release)
• Michigan's Education Time Bomb: Costly, Loophole-Ridden Retirement System Threatens Public Schools
• Jacksonville, Florida's Pension Plans Are Costing More and More (column)
• Baby Boomers Will Be a Challenge to Tomorrow's Health Care System, Says Report
• Bank of Canada Governor Urges Return to Defined-Benefit Pension Plans
• Defined-Benefit Pension Plans Continue to Decline, Says Watson Wyatt Survey
• Additional News Stories on Watson Wyatt Survey
• Social Security a Ponzi Scheme That Must Be Fixed (op-Ed)

May 10, 2007

• Debt for California's Retiree Health Care Finally Gets a Number (column)
• California's Legislative Analyst Issues Report on State's $48 Billion Retiree Health Liability
• Don't Dodge California's Health Care Bill (editorial - San Francisco Chronicle)
• CalPERS Urges Prefunding of Retiree Health Insurance Costs (press release)
• Carlsbad, California School District Has No Plan for Paying Retirees' Health Benefits, Study Finds
• Santa Clara County, California Faces $227-Million Budget Shortfall
• Stop Spiking the Pension Punch: Curb Public Employee Overtime, Bonus and Sick Leave Abuse (column)
• Uneasy New Hampshire State Workers Plot Early Retirements as Pension Reform Is Discussed
• $4 Million Pension Shortfall Plaguing Budget in Springfield, Missouri
• Bennington, Vermont Employees Will Soon Have Health Coverage in Retirement
• Haverhill, Massachusetts Can't Afford Pension Boost (editorial - Eagle-Tribune)
• Public Employee Benefits Reforms Will Free Up Money in Michigan for Important Priorites (op-ed)
• Bring on 401(x)! a Trio of Retirement Savings Plans Is Obsolete (column)
• Medicare, Social Security on Track to Eat Up Entire Federal Budget
• 40,000 Norwegian Workers Strike Over Government Pension Reforms

May 9, 2007

• California Employees' Health Benefits May Cost $70 Billion (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• California League of Cities Asks: What's Next in Public Pension Reform?
• California's Public Employee Health Care Tab Could Add $3.6 Billion Annually to Budget Without Action
• Prefunding Is the Cure for California's Health Benefits
• Mum's the Word From the Schwarzenegger Administration on Opeb Report (blog)
• Santa Clara County, California's Budget Plan Relies on Deep Cuts, Pension Bonds
• Workers in Baltimore County, Maryland at Odds Over Pension Contract (with video)
• Archdiocese of Chicago to Freeze Defined-Benefit Pension Plan

May 8, 2007

• California State Controller's Report Says Taxpayers Face $48 Billion in Unfunded Health Care Costs
• Governor Must Face Up to California's Unfunded Benefits (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Governor's Response on California Health Care Audit Is to Duck and Pretend (blog)
• Additional News Coverage of California Controller's Report on Unfunded Health Care Costs
• California State Controller's Press Release on Retiree Health Care Benefits (pdf)
• Read the California State Controller's Comments to the Sacramento Press Club (pdf)
• Read the California State Controller's Actuarial Report (pdf)
• Pennsylvania's 3,000 Municipal Pension Funds Are $5 Billion Short (editorial - Patriot-News)
• Oklahoma Governor Signs Bill to Fix Pension System Currently Short by $7 Billion
• Protect Texas' Public Employee Pension Funds From Legislators' Symbolic Sudan Gesture (op-Ed)
• Switch to 401(k) Pension Would Cost Illinois More in Long Run, Says Union-Funded Study
• West Virginia Officials Plan Study of Teacher Pension Options

May 7, 2007

• $16-19 Billion in Pension and Health Care Liabilities Are Key to DaimlerChrysler Deal
• San Diego/county: Pension Showdown -- Supervisors Should Reject Imprudent Pension Compromise (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: New Pension Board President Lists SDCERS' Accomplishments (column)
• Pennsylvania's Healthy Pension Fund Brings Pressure for Benefit Increases
• Kentucky Citizens Face Fiscal Train Wreck Due to Massive Retirement Benefits (op-ed)
• Oklahoma Governor to Sign Bill Increasing Funding for Teachers' Retirement System
• Spiraling Health and Pension Costs Squeeze Budget in Boxford, Massachusetts
• Police in Carroll County, Maryland Seek Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• Seven Pontiac, Michigan City Officials Head to Hawaii for Pension Conference
• Lincoln Financial to Freeze Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• Retirement Focus Has Shifted From Employer to Employee (column)
• The Off Chance of Retirement Investing (column)

May 6, 2007

• Monday Is Day of Reckoning for California on Unfunded Retirement Liabilities (blog)
• Orange County Receives Economic Boost From Public Pensions, Says CalPERS/CalSTRS Study
• Proposal Aimed at Increasing Retirement Savings to Be Released Monday (press release)
• Nearly 1 in 5 Workers Has Experienced a Cut in Retirement Benefits (column)

May 4, 2007

• San Diego/county: Supervisors' Bid to Cut Retiree Health Benefits Spurned by Pension Board
• Kansas Increases Retirement Age; Pension Fund Shortfall Has Grown to $5.1 Billion
• Oregon's Pension Fund -- Back From the Abyss (editorial - Register-Guard)
• Monroe, Michigan Mayor Defends Hawaii Pension Conference Trip
• Municipalities Get a Healthy Dose of Reality on Post-Employment Benefits
• Wal-Mart Outlines $1.1 Billion in Employee Benefits

May 3, 2007

• San Diego/county: Supervisors, Pension Board Head for Showdown
• Fixing the Chicago Transit Authority's Pension Disaster (editorial - Chicago Tribune)
• Michigan Taxpayers Sending 80 Officials Off to Hawaii for Pension Seminar
• Change to West Virginia Retirees' Health Care Insurance a Necessity (editorial - Wheeling News-Register)
• Senator Renews Push to Reduce Burden of Social Security/pension Offset
• Big Firms Don't Favor Retiree Health Benefits
• Mexico City Disrupted by Protests of Overhaul of Public Employee Pension System

May 2, 2007

• San Diego/city: It's the Pension, Stupid! (column)
• San Diego/city: Council Okays $400,000 Spending Increase for Pension Expert
• Co-Author of CalPERS Study Not Happy With How It's Being Used (blog)
• Darfur Divestment Again an Issue for CalPERS, CalSTRS at Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting
• California Bill Would Allow Council Members to Double Their Own Pay
• El Paso, Texas Council Okays Increasing Contributions to Solve $100 Million Pension Shortfall
• One Thing Not on Agenda in Pennsylvania's Capitol: Pension Crisis
• Pension Policy and Public Retirement Systems Featured in Actuaries' Magazine
• Michigan Auto Parts Firm Freezes Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• Michelin Tire Set to Close Its UK Final-Salary Pension Plan

May 1, 2007

• San Diego/city: The Nightmare Continues (column)
• Reaction to Story About CalPERS and CalSTRS Spurring California's Economy (blog)
• Michigan's Finances Worse Than Governor Reveals (editorial - Detroit News)
• Most of Englewood, New Jersey's Budget Increase Going to Pensions, Benefits
• Bribing Americans With Their Own Money (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Philadelphia: When Wishes Are Nickels (column)
• Stick With North Carolina's Pension Game Plan (op-Ed)

April 30, 2007

• Springfield, Illinois Police, Fire Pension Funds Have $125 Million Shortfall
• Cash-Strapped Cook County, Illinois May Offer Pension Buyouts
• San Diego/city: Firefighter Has Polite Response to Mayor (column)
• Sustainable Municipal Pension System Should Be Goal in Pennsylvania (editorial - Patriot-News)
• Pension Changes Could Lead Massachusetts Police, Firefighters to Retire Early
• Cleaning Up the Public Pension System in Massachusetts (op-Ed)
• Many New Jersey Legislative Staffers Qualify for Pension Credit
• Indiana Pension Funds Have $155 Million to Pour Into Hoosier Companies
• 'Do Nothing Plan' Won't Fix Social Security and Medicare (editorial - Pensacola News Journal)
• D.C. Journalists Are Politicians' Lapdogs on Social Security Issue (editorial - Investor's Business Daily)
• Read the 2007 Social Security Trustees' Report
• 10 Steps to Reforming Baby-Boomer Retirement (column)
• Pension Status Improves for S&P 500 Companies; Other Benefits Remain Underfunded
• Delta Air Lines Is Shirking Its Duty (column)
• Turkish Woman Who Killed Both Parents Applies for Orphan's Pension

April 28, 2007

• Santa Barbara County, California Pension Gap Widens to $257 Million
• Pension Fund Divestment Unites Jews and Muslims in California
• Debate Over Defined-Benefit Vs. 401(k) Re-Ignited in Alaska Legislature
• Oregon 's Public Employee Pension Fund Reports It Now Has a Surplus
• Oregon Pension Fund Hits a Wee Jackpot
• Hundreds of New Hampshire State Retirees Turn Out for Pension Hearing
• Corrupt Connecticut Officials May Risk Pensions

April 27, 2007

• Former California Legislator to Tackle Public Employee Pension Reform Via Initiative
• Comments of Keith Richman to California's Public Employee Post-Employment Benefits Commission
• New Group in Shasta County, California Will Study Public Employee Pensions
• Public Pension Plans Being Debated Again in Alaska (video with story)
• Study Says Last 24 Years of Work Have Little Impact on Social Security Benefits
• General Electric Retirees Protest: No Increase in Pension in 7 Years
• Mexican Congress Approves Major Changes to Public Employees' Pension and Health System

April 26, 2007

• Watsonville, California Police, Firefighters Trade Pension Contribution for Pay Hike
• California Pension, Benefits Commission Issues First Report, "Funding the Golden Years in the Golden State" (pdf)
• Rural California Communities Must Confront Public Employee Health Costs (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Pension Tension in Kentucky (editorial - Cincinnati Post)
• Pension Envy in Illinois (column)
• West Warwick, Rhode Island Finds $380,000 for Pension Plan
• Pension Funding Is Top Issue for Treasurer Candidates in Charleston, West Virginia
• Luzerne County, Pennsylvania's $210 Million Pension Fund Cheers Officials
• Altimore County, Maryland Pension Overhaul Would Set Payout at Age 6

April 25, 2007

• Santa Clara County, California to Issue $392 Million in Pension Obligation Bonds
• California Pension Commission Posts Agenda for Tomorrow's Meeting in Orange County
• San Diego/city: Council Rejects Pay Raise for Firefighters, Changes Health Benefits
• San Diego/county: Supervisors Vote to Increase Pension Payment
• Scholar Suggests Bonds, Tax Increases to Solve Illinois' Pension Underfunding
• Nasdaq to Freeze Pension Plan

April 24, 2007

• Pay Hits $353,000 at Los Angeles County Pension Agency
• San Diego/city: Will Council Bend to Firefighters Union? (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: The Truth According to Firefighters (op-ed)
• Grim Social Security and Medicare Report
• Social Security, Medicare: 'Problematic'
• Social Security's Financial Outlook: The 2007 Report in Perspective (policy)
• AARP Reacts to Medicare and Social Security Trustees' Reports (release)
• University of Massachusetts Professor Talks on Future of Social Security
• Pentagon May Be Shorting Troop Disabiity Benefits, Presidential Commission Told
• Maine Legislation Would Mandate Full Funding of Future State Benefit Hikes
• Grand Rapids, Michigan Leaders Talk About Cutting Their Own Benefits
• Newport News, Virginia Sees More Red Over Pensions, Health Benefits
• Why Does North Carolina's $74 Billion Pension Fund Need Reforming? (op-ed)
• House Okays Bill Addressing Executive Pay, Pension Packages
• New Jerseyans Angered by Governor's High-Speed Crash (column)
• Pension Reform in Kentucky Must Include Education (op-ed)
• Alberta, Canada Teachers' Pension Shortfall Stands Close to $6.9 Billion (column)

April 23, 2007

• Pension Fund in Santa Clara County, California Is Short $1 Billion; Bond Sale Is Considered
• CalSTRS' Unfunded Liability Could Double to $40 Billion by 2014
• California Pension Commission to Meet Thursday in Orange County
• Raspberry Award for CalPERS and CalSTRS (editorial - North County Times)
• Rosemead, California Weighs Cutting Employee Benefits
• San Diego/city: With Labor Deal in the Balance, Mayor Peddles Health Benefits Fix
• San Diego/city: Insuring Public Employees' Health While Ensuring Efficiency (column by Mayor Jerry Sanders)
• San Diego/city: Council Must Hold the Mayor's Line on Spending (column)
• San Diego/city: Firefighters Make a Questionable Plea of Poverty (column)
• First Responders' Pension Plans Burning Up Budgets in West Virginia
• Benefits Could Be the Battleground for Charleston, West Virginia Pension Changes
• Adrian, Michigan Schools Look at Outsourcing to Save Money on Pensions, Benefits
• New Law Makes Changes to North Dakota's Teacher Pension Fund
• A Study of Virginia's Public Employee Benefits and Pay Is a Smart Move (editorial - Daily Press)
• University of Kentucky Considers Offering Domestic-Partner Benefits
• Building a Nest Egg -- Automatically
• Social Security, Medicare Annual Report to Be Released Today
• Motorola Illustrates Trend in Pensions
• Bahamas National Pension Fund Will Become Insolvent by 2027 Without Reform
• Spanish Pension Case Could Change Workplace Across the European Union
• Cyprus Seeks to Secure Viability of Its Near-Bankrupt National Pension Fund

April 20, 2007

• Hawaii's Public Employee Healthcare Benefits to Cost $11.1 Billion
• $25 Billion New Jersey Pension-Payment Shortfall Looms Long
• Little Outrage Over New Jersey's Pension Fund Fiasco (column)
• Michigan Senate Plan Would Pool Public Employee Health Insurance Coverage
• Alabama Finance Chief Urges Passage of Health Care Trust Fund Measure
• Don't Dump Current Illinois Pension Plans, Says Author

April 19, 2007

• San Diego/city: As Salary Freezes Thaw, Impacts Seen to Pension System
• San Diego/city: Council Set to Repeat Folly on Pay Hikes, Pensions (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• California State Employee Pensions Lift Economy, Says CalPERS/CalSTRS Study
• Chicago Transit Authority's Pension, Health Funds 'Deteriorating Rapidly'
• Proposed Legislation Would Shift Control of North Carolina's Pension Fund
• Evanston, Illinois Eyes Pension Options
• Evanston, Illinois Council Hears Plans to Close Pension Fund Gap
• Pension Change Planned for New Firefighters in West Haven, Connecticut
• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Pension Board Losing Appetite for Free Lunch

April 18, 2007

• Los Angeles County's Retiree Health Care Deficit May Be as High as $14 Billion
• Read Los Angeles County's Proposed 2007-2008 Budget (HTML)
• Contra Costa County Supervisors Put Off Decision on $2.6 Billion Retiree Health Liability
• CalPERS Postpones Decision on Cutting Health Care Benefits and Costs
• Cut Illinois State Workers' Health Benefits, Says Business Group
• View or Download the Civic Federation's Report (PDF)
• Kentucky Governor Meets With Pension Task Force
• Actuary Told Kalamazoo County, Michigan Officials About Pension-Fund Issue in 1999
• North Carolina's Pension Fund Travel Policy Doesn't Look Good (editorial - News & Observer)
• Requirement to fund health benefits adds to Postal Service's projected $5.2 billion deficit

April 17, 2007

• Public Employee Healthcare Costs Soar Out of Control in Massachusetts Cities and Towns
• Decatur, Illinois Continues to Face Surging Public Employee Pension, Health Costs
• Teacher Retirement System of Texas to Shift Billions Into New Investments
• Kentucky Governor Meets With Pension Task Force
• Money Managers Join in Jettisoning Defined-Benefit Pension Plans
• Make Financial Literacy Mandatory in Schools (op-Ed)
• To Avoid Future Pension Time Bomb, Europe Needs Radical Changes Now (column)
• Amendments Seen Delaying Pension Reform Approval in Chile

April 16, 2007

• Study Says 1 in 2 Americans Now Receives Income From Government Programs
• San Diego/city: Union Boss Does End Run Around Mayor (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• New Jersey: History's Painful Fallout (editorial - New York Times)
• Roots of Fort Worth, Texas Pension Fund's Mushrooming Deficit Emerge
• Don't Blow $1 Billion Hole in Future Washington Budgets (editorial - Seattle Times)
• Resolve West Virginia's Teacher Pension Dispute (editorial - News-Register)
• Massachusetts' Pension Fund Investing in Genocide? (editorial - Springfield Republican)
• North Carolina Pension Fund Managers' Trips Trips Are Questioned
• Bristol, Connecticut's Pension Fund Is '100 Percent Overfunded' Says Consultant
• Sheriff in Carroll County, Maryland Wants Better Pension Plan for Deputies
• What's Right With Public Pensions (column)
• US Department of Energy Seeks Public Comment on Addressing Contractor Pension, Health Benefits
• Read the Department of Energy's Request for Public Comments

April 13, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Attorney's Pension Benefits Case Resumes in Court
• San Diego/city: Short-Term Fiscal Discipline Yields Long-Term Gains (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Oklahoma Treasurer Urges Lawmakers to Fix State's $11 Billion Pension Funding Shortfall
• New Jersey: New Contract Includes Higher State Employee Pension, Health Contributions
• New Jersey: Pension Fund Fiasco Is Enron on the Delaware (column)
• Pennsylvania City Officials Join Statewide Search for Solution to Pension Problems
• Duluth, Minnesota Creates Irrevocable Trust to Fund Retiree Health Care
• PBGC Takes on Anchor Hocking Pension Plan
• Anchor Hocking Workers to Receive Reduced Pensions
• 'Automatic IRA' Could Be a Winner
• Re-Thinking Medicare's Funding

April 12, 2007

• Nashville, Tennessee May Have to Find $3.2 Billion for Retiree Health Care Benefits
• Sonoma County, California's Retirees Face Reduced Health Benefits to Deal With 'Financial Catastrophe'
• California Legislative Analyst's Office Launches Information Website on Retiree Health Care Benefits
• Battle Creek, Michigan Changes Health Coverage for Retired Police Officers, Firefighters
• Plan Would End Lifetime Health Care Benefits for Michigan Legislators
• New Jersey: Senators Push for Answers on Pensions
• New Jersey: Creative Accounting Blamed in Pension System Fiasco
• New Jersey: $77 Billion in Pension Fund Won't Cut It
• New Jersey: Governor's Statement on Public Employee Contract Negotiations, Pension Reform (press release)
• New Jersey: State Treasurer Says Don't Fix Pension by Leasing Assets
• New Jersey: Two Senators Endorse Amending Constitution to Mandate Pension Funding
• New Jersey: Officials See No Irs Concerns With Retirement System Gap
• Dukes County, Massachusetts Pension Fund Underperforming
• S&P Improves Oregon's Bond Rating Outlook Based on Pension Reform and Fund Returns
• Corporate Pensions Had a Strong Year in 2006, Study Says
• New Canadian Accounting Rules Will Oblige Firms to Disclose Pension, Benefit Shortfalls
• Canadian University May Increase Tuition to Cope With Pension Fund Shortfall

April 11, 2007

• CalPERS' Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums Soar
• San Diego/City: $200,000 more paid to attorney for SEC work
• New Jersey: State Treasurer to Testify on Funding of Pension Plans
• New Jersey: the Pension System's Hole Is Getting Deeper (editorial - Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Pension Greed Knows No Bounds for Massachusetts' Political Hacks (column)
• Workers Note Pension-Plan Cuts, but Few Ramp Up Savings in Response, According to Ebri Survey

April 10, 2007

• San Diego/city: Mayor Vows to Cut Jobs, Not Services
• South Lake Tahoe, California Scrambles to Fill Retirement Coffers
• Stanislaus County, California's Pension Fund Bucks Trend; Near Full Funding at 96.6%
• On Calstrs and Divestment From Iran (editorial - North County Times)
• Ousters, Allegations Undercut Talk of Reform in California Highway Patrol (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Health-Care Costs Put Ohio Public Safety Forces in a Bind
• Future Families Will Pay Price for Washington State Politicians' Irresponsibility (letter)
• Sun Health of Arizona Will Freeze Pensions, Shift to 401(k)s for New Hires
• General Motors' High-Performance Pension Machine (column)
• Baby Boomers Now Dominate the Halls of Power
• Ontario, Canada Teachers' Pension Fund Reported in Takeover of Bell Canada

April 9, 2007

• Cities, Districts in Marin County, California Wrestle With Costs of Retiree Health Care
• San Diego/city: Mayor to Push Cutting 300 Jobs
• San Diego/county: Judge's Ruling Leaves Heart of Conflict of Interest Issue Undecided (blog)
• National City, California Employees Balk at Contributing 2% of Pay to Pensions
• California Governor's Aides May Get Big Raises
• New Jersey: State's Pension Shortfall Explained
• New Jersey: Did Governor's Personal Relationship With Union Boss Affect State Workers' Contract?
• New Jersey: State's Pension Mess Worse Than Imagined (editorial - Home News Tribune)
• New Jersey: Pension Shortfall Could Be Catastrophic (editorial - the Record)
• Taxpayers Have Been Sold Out on Pension Reform (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• New Jersey: Garden State Robbery (editorial - New York Post)
• New Jersey: State Has Shorted Pension Fund (column)
• New Jersey: Pensions Chief Says Teacher Retirements Are Safe
• New Jersey: Corruption Probe Brings Vows of Change
• Florida Legislators Pressing for Iran, Darfur Pension Fund Divestment
• Ohio Public Employees Need to Get Ahead of Pension, Benefit Cuts (editorial - Dayton Daily News)
• Changes Loom for Kansas Public Employees' Pension Plan
• New Mexico Governor Vetoes Increase in Legislators' Pensions
• Potential Pension Plan Changes Worry New Hampshire State Workers
• Butler County, Pennsylvania's Pension Funds Underperformed in 2006
• Pension, Health Insurance Costs Again on City Agenda in Battle Creek, Michigan

April 6, 2007

• San Diego/city: Police Pay Raise Would Add $5 Million to Annual Pension Cost
• Pension Boards Serving Two Masters in Los Angeles
• San Diego/county: Pension Board, Jacob Discuss Retiree Benefits
• San Diego/county: Retirement Board Considering Options to Health Benefit Cuts
• Grade School Teacher to Lead CalSTRS Board in Tackling $20 Billion Shortfall
• CalSTRS Opposes Iran Divestment, Warns California Legisators on Issue
• Doubts Regarding Divestment From Iran by CalSTRS and CalPERS (opinion - Jewish Journal)
• Baltimore, Maryland's Pension Fund Liability Continues to Grow
• Public Pension Rot Not Limited to Just New Jersey (editorial - New York Times)
• Bragging Rights Lead to Fiscal Irresponsibility in New Jersey (column)
• Kentucky's Public Employee Pensions Are 'A Looming Crisis' (editorial - Louisville Courier-Journal)
• A Vote to End Gainsharing in Washington State Is Vote for Pension Security (editorial - News Tribune)
• Pittsburgh Mayor Calls for Pension Summit of Mayors From 17 Pennsylvania Cities

April 5, 2007

• Alarm Raised as Omaha, Nebraska's Police and Fire Pension Fund Dives Further Into the Red
• San Diego/county: Pension Board Must Return to Basics (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Tobacco Profits Tempt CalSTRS
• Outside Audit Is Promised for New Jersey Pension Fund
• New Jersey Pension System Could Face $175 Billion Deficit
• Pennsylvania Officials Say Public Pensions Are Funded
• North Carolina Bill Would Forgive Police Widows' Pension Debt
• Anger Ushers in New Pension Rules in Kalamazoo County, Michigan

April 4, 2007

• San Diego/county: Retirement Board Can't Stop Jacob From Voting on Health Benefits, Says Judge
• Don't Mix Politics and Investment Decisions (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Work Vs. Retirement (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• New Jersey Diverts Billions, Endangering Pension Fund
• New Jersey State Senators'’ Pensions Draw Fire in Trenton
• In Massachusetts, 25 Towns, 25 Pension Plans (column)
• No Reason to Rush Special Session for Kentucky Legislature (editorial - Lexington Herald-Leader)
• $133 Million in Retirement Benefits Hasn't Been Claimed, Says PBGC
• PBGC to Take Over Collins & Aikman Pension Plan -- a Liability of $161 Million
• Debate, but No Agreement, on Which Type Pension Plan Is Best -- DB or DC
• Excerpts From the Pensions & Investments Roundtable Transcript on DB Versus DC Plans
• Drug Makers Likely to Keep Defined-Benefit Pension Plans

April 3, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Attorney Says in Letter That He Is Now the Pension Board's Lawyer
• San Diego/city: Terms End for Several Pension Fund Trustees
• Many Californians Can't Afford to Retire, Report Says
• Read the Complete California Budget Project Report (pdf)
• Bonding With OPEB: Look Before You Leap (column)
• Baltimore County Workers, Unions Decry Benefit Shift
• More Than 3,000 Pennsylvania Public Employees Make 6-Figure Incomes, Says Report
• Plymouth County, Massachusetts Look at Pension Fund Merger (editorial - Brockton Enterprise)
• Korean Legislator Calls for Performance-Based Pension Fund for Civil Servants

April 2, 2007

• San Diego/city: I Vote 'Aye' for My Raise and Pension Increase
• San Diego/county: Showdown This Week in Retirees' Health Benefits Battle
• San Jose, California Firefighters Seek 'Trophy Wife' Pension Clause
• Audit of Scandal-Ridden California Highway Patrol Best First Step (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Overtime Pay Means Big Bucks for Some Employees in Lodi, California
• More on California Seeking to Ban Investment in Iran by CalPERS and CalSTRS
• Ohio's Public Workers' Pensions Growing
• Thank You for Dying (book review of 'Boomsday' by Christopher Buckley)
• Boomers Are Aging -- and Companies Must Rethink Jobs
• End of Retiree Medical Plan Shocks Bell Canada Employees
• Japanese Wives Set to Cash in on New Pension-Sharing Law

March 30, 2007

• Fat Public Employee Pay and Benefits Packages Are Breaking the Bank in Chico, California
• San Diego/county: Retirement Association Sues Amaranth Hedge Fund
• Billions in Retiree Health Costs in the Open, Thanks to New Accounting Rule
• Defined-Benefit Pension Plans Keep Up Inexorable March Toward Retirement
• 3 Massachusetts College Presidents Get Pension Boosts; 8 Don'T
• Forget the Lottery -- Post as a Massachusetts College Prez Biggest Jackpot Ever (column)
• Thousands of Vets Get Payments for Hemorrhoids, Other Minor Claims
• 'Terror-Free' Investing Gains Ground in Us
• Employee Benefits Become More Expensive
• US Pension Plans' Funding Level Drops in February
• Presidential Candidate Brownback Backs Social Security Accounts
• After You Retire, Expect to Spend a Big Chunk of Change to Stay Healthy
• Poor Won't Pay for Pension Deficit, Says Brazil's Lula

March 29, 2007

• California Bill Would Require State Pension Funds to Divest $24 Billion Worth of Investments in Iran
• Illegal Aliens Swell Uncredited Contributions to Social Security by Nearly $300 Billion
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Renews Effort to Advise Pension Board
• Serious Measures Needed to Address Pension Shortfall in Salem, Massachusetts (editorial - Salem News)
• Idaho Governor Vetoes Public Employee Benefits Bill
• Kentucky: Pension Advocates Split Over Need for a Special Session
• Fidelity Investments to End Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• US Pension Funds Poised to Immunize Liabilities

March 28, 2007

• Covington, Kentucky Asks State for Help on Pensions to Ward Off a Financial Crisis
• Illinois' $41 Billion State Pension Debt: In the End, the Taxpayer Pays
• Amid Illinois State's Pension Woes, Municipal Fund Remains Solvent, Says Director
• Cranford, New Jersey Labor Contract Allows Firemen's Double-Dipping
• Contra Costa County's Credit Rating Improves
• Fort Worth, Texas Council OKs Proposed Bill on Employee Pension Fund
• At Energy Department, Pension and Benefits Are a Growing Liability; Public Input Is Sought
• Mexico's Lower House Passes State Pension Reform Bill Amid Protests

March 27, 2007

• Price of Teachers' Health Benefits Soars in Michigan
• 2 Jobs, 2 Pensions in New Jersey
• California Governor Gives 49 State Administrators Hefty Raises (and Therefore Pension Increases)
• Proposed Changes to Kentucky Pension Plan Won't Mean Big Savings, Says Actuary
• CalPERS Calls on House to Preserve Access to Generic Drugs (press release)
• Army Rethinking Disability-Assessment System
• Mexico's Pension Deficit Disorder

March 26, 2007

• 'Special Pay' Lets Employees Rake in the Cash in San Jose, California
• San Diego/city: Closer to Regaining Credit, City Has Billions in Spending Plans, Including $493 Million for Pensions
• Pension Fund Time Bomb to Hit Baltimore, Maryland Hard in '08
• Pennsylvanians Must Retake Control of Their Government (editorial - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
• Philadelphia City Council Overrides Mayor's Veto, Loosens Pension Rules
• AARP Tackles Social Security, Health Care (column)
• Kentucky House and Senate Are Sharply Divided on Pension Issue
• Pension Investments Paid Off for North Carolina Treasurer's Campaign
• Depleted Reserves, Pension Obligations Threaten Mexico's Pemex
• Alaska Retirement Plan Aims for Fairness
• 16 Massachusetts College Presidents to Get Pension Boost Thanks to Bulger Victory
• PBGC Seeking Clarity on Northwest Airlines' Pension Liability
• 'All Pension Funds in Europe Are in Trouble' Says Cyprus Official
• Time to Get Tough With the Civil Service (editorial - Cyprus Mail)

March 23, 2007

• CalPERS Chief Investment Officer Sees Some 'Contagion' From Subprime Mortgage Crisis
• Senate Blocks Move to Cut Medicare Costs
• Pentagon Probing Care of Retired Vets
• Kentucky Senate Proposal Is a Good First Step on $28 Billion Pension Deficit (op-ed)
• Privatizing Kentucky Pension System Might Not Be Best for Workers, Say Legislators (op-ed)
• Montana House Endorses Governor's Pension Fix
• Pennsylvania Releases Pension Data for 4 More Ex-Lawmakers
• Fort Worth, Texas: City's Control of Pension Fund at Issue
• A Pension Idea Some Want to Retire (column)
• Old-Age Security Without the State
• Pension Reform Agreed Upon in Norway

March 22, 2007

• Orange County, California's Retirees Are 'Irked' That Health Care Benefits Have Been Cut
• Public Pension Policy Has Become Too Rich for California Taxpayers to Afford (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Backdoor Pension for Alabama's Former Governors (editorial - Times Daily)
• Jail Guards Seek Pension Parity With Police in Charles County, Maryland
• Decision Delayed on Police and Fire Pensions in Battle Creek, Michigan
• Returning Military Veterans Facing Hurdles Qualifying for Disability Pensions
• Federal Improved Pension Benefit Program for Older Veterans Is Government's Best-Kept Secret
• Parties Agree on Pension Reform in Norway

March 21, 2007

• San Diego/city: Pension Fund Is Declared Sound in Study Prepared for Federal Lawsuit
• Orange County, California Reduces Projected Healthcare Deficit by $800 Million
• Huge Hikes in Retirement Costs Strain Virginia's Taxpayers and Services (editorial - Daily Press)
• Alaska Lawmakers Look for Fixes in Communities' Retirement Plans
• Montana House Committee Backs Pension-Fix Plan
• Changes Are Coming to New Hampshire's Underfunded Pension Plan
• Kentucky's US Senator Says State Pension Proposal Adds Too Much Debt
• Cicero, Indiana Firefighters Battle for Pension
• Rising Pension, Insurance Costs Present Challenges to Keyport, New Jeresy
• Pension Crisis Looms for China
• Graying Korea Should Reform Pension System, Says Report

March 20, 2007

• Retirement Envy: Private Sector Retirees Eye Government Workers' Benefits
• San Diego/city: Pension Board Votes to Accelerate Payments on Billion Dollar Fund Deficit
• Compatibility of Pension Funds, Hedge Funds Questioned at Congressional Hearing
• CalPERS Eyes Raising Investment in Hedge Funds, Says Official
• Subprime Mortgages Are a Powder Keg in a Not-So-Sound Economy (column)
• Pension Funds Argue in Washington for Climate Change Regulations
• CalPERS and CalSTRS Back Move for Tough Curbs on Greenhouse Gases
• Pension Pain on the Way in New Hampshire
• Chula Vista, California Exec Forced to Resign Will Get Lifetime Benefits
• Supreme Court Declines to Consider Xerox Pension Plan Case
• The Tax on Your Retirement Savings (blog)
• Canadian Business Community Irked by Billion-Dollar Public Pension Bailout
• Pension Reform in Chile: Closing the Gap, Not Scrapping the System

March 19, 2007

• California's Benefits Panel Crippled by Union Arrogance (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: After Years of Waiting, City Gets '03 Audit
• Jury Still Out on Illinois Governor's Pension Plans
• Filling Illinois' $41 Billion Pension Gap (editorial - St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Former Kentucky Governor Warns Against Rushing Pension Change
• Pension Bond Proposal for Knox County, Tennessee Worries State Officials
• Public Employees Are a Larger Percentage of New Jersey's Work Force Than in Past
• Public Employee Pensions a New Gold Standard in New Hampshire
• New Hampshire Pension Compromise May Up Public Employees' Payments
• Battle Creek, Michigan to Address Pension Woes
• American Airlines Pilots Reaffirm Support for Retirement at Age 60 (press release)
• University of California Regents Approve $1.2 Billion Pension Deal With Los Alamos Lab
• Half of UK Adults Expect to Work in Retirement
• Denmark's Pension System Europe's Best

March 17, 2007

• San Diego/city: 2003 Audit Finally OK'D
• Mayor of San Jose, California Balks at Requested Retiree Benefit Hike
• Contra Costa County Supervisors Fill Public Relations Position That Drew Criticism
• Pension Outlays May Cost New Jersey $132.1 Billion, Says Report
• GM to Ask UAW for Health, Pension Concessions

March 16, 2007

• New Jersey's Pension Fund Deficit Has Been Vastly Underestimated
• Putting a Leash on Underfunded Public Employee Pension Funds (column)
• Shakeup in Subprime Mortgage Market Should Strike Terror Into Hearts of Taxpayers (blog)
• Oklahoma's $7.5 Billion Underfunded Teachers' Pension Plan Called 'Biggest Fiscal Issue Facing State'
• Nevada Legislator Proposes Establishing State Worker Retirement Age
• Teaneck, New Jersey Taxpayers Face Hike Due to Increased Pension, Benefits Costs
• Massachusettts Governor Targets Six Local Pension Funds for Takeover
• Disability Pension Dilemma: Watching for Abuse (column)
• Mongolian Pensions a Ticking Time Bomb

March 15, 2007

• New York Teachers' Pension Fund Caught Up in Subprime Mortgage Debacle
• CalPERS Home Loans Safe From Subprime Mortgage Market Woes, Says Fund Official
• Pinching Off Pensions in Los Angeles County (editorial - Pasadena Star-News)
• Worcester, Massachusetts Pension Fund Escapes State Takeover
• 'Saving' Social Security Won't Secure Retirement, Says Former Congressman Armey
• Pension Funds Must Heed Climate Change, Says Al Gore at Pension Conference in Scotland
• Italy Debates Raising Retirement Age
• Japan Overhauls Pensions

March 14, 2007

• CalPERS Board Advised to Raise Members' Health Insurance Co-Pays
• California's Pension Mess Now in the Open (column)
• San Diego/city: Appeals Court Lets Stand Pension-Benefits Ruling
• San Diego/county: The Looming Retiree Health Care Crunch (blog)
• Pension Funds Will Siphon $1 Billion From New Jersey Towns
• Amherst, New York Town Board Questions 1,000 Percent Increase in Pension Costs
• Pennsylvania School Districts May Face Pension Cost Nightmare
• Pennsylvania Public Employee Pension Fund Bracing for Retirement Surge
• St. Louis, Missouri Owes $20 Million in Pension Payments, Court Says

March 13, 2007

• Panel Gets Hot Potato: California Public Employee Pensions (column)
• Negative Press Dents Confidence in CalSTRS
• San Diego/city: Pension Reform: Pay Off the Debt, Raise the Retirement Age
• San Diego/city: Big Pension Vote Friday
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Hoping Chargers Will Help Pay Police Pension Costs
• Banner Year for CalPERS
• New Jersey's Local Governments Have to Pony Up $217 Million More for Pensions
• New Jersey's Dire Fiscal Crisis: Taxpayers on the Hook for $175 Billion (op-Ed)
• New Jersey Police, Fire Pension Costs Continue to Soar (blog)
• Nevada Lawmaker Suggests Public Employees Work Longer to Pay Down $6 Billion Liability
• Kentucky's Pension Bill May Die
• Assets of 35 Massachusetts Local Pension Systems Are Targeted
• Texas Seeks to Avoid New Accounting Rule on Retiree Health Benefits

March 12, 2007

• Fort Worth, Texas Has $858 Million Healthcare Shortfall on Top of $411 Million Pension Deficit
• Retirement Deal Scandal Prompts Council Soul Searching in Gilroy, California
• California Lawmaker: Great Job, Average Health Benefits (column)
• Redlands, California Begins Looking at Cost-Cutting Strategies, Issuing Pension Bonds
• New Mexico House Okays Boost in Legislators' Pension Plan
• Boomers Have Insufficient Funds for Retirement

March 11, 2007

• Retiring at 65 Could Fix California's Pension Mess (op-ed)
• Deficit-Wary Mayor of San Jose, California Targets Employee Pay, Benefits
• Consolidating Local Pension Plans Promising for Pennsylvania (editorial - Daily and Sunday Review)
• Most Boomers Can't Count on Inheritance

March 10, 2007

• California's New Pension Commission Convenes
• Retiree Health Costs Could Force Public Service Cuts in California, Says Pension Commission Chairman
• Commission Launches Effort to Improve California's Pension System
• State Panel Meets on California's Pension Problem
• To Fix California's Budget Let Voters Decide (column)
• Ducking Day of Pension Reckoning: Arnold Is Subtle, Texas ... Not So Much (blog)
• Retirement Relief for Alaska (editorial - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
• Alaska Is Not Alone With Its $8 Billion Pension Funds Shortfall (editorial - Anchorage Daily News)
• Kentucky Governor Threatens to Call Special Session to Address $12 Billion Pension Liability

March 9, 2007

• Texas Revolts Against GASB 45 Benefits Reporting Rule
• Audit of Benefit Eligibility Needed for Contra Costa County Employees' Dependents (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• Mostly Foxes Guarding the Pension Henhouse in California (column)
• Feeding Illinois' Pension Beast
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Pension Fund Only 43.7% Funded
• Kentucky General Assembly Butting Heads Over Pension Plan
• Kentucky's Pension Overhaul: No Time to Waste (column)
• Germany Lifts Pension Age to 67 Amid Protests Over Joblessness

March 8, 2007

• California Pension Reform Commission Panelists' Ties to Firms Questioned
• Taxpayers Underrepresented on California's Pension Commission (op-ed)
• San Jose, California Workers' Pay and Benefits Are Soaring
• Redlands, California to Refinance $26.8 Million in Pension Debt
• CalPERS Pays the Price of Caution
• Kentucky House Speaker Balks on Pension Overhaul
• Kentucky Senate President Says Act on Pension Bill or Forget New Funding
• Kentucky Pension Reform Plan Not All Senate President Cracks It Up to Be (column)
• Phiadelphia's Mayor Blasts Council's Pension-Raise Bill
• Sweden's Pension Antidote
• New Issue Paper: Will People Be Healthy Enough to Work Longer?

March 7, 2007

• California's Public Employee Post-Retirement Benefits Commission to Meet Friday (public notice)
• Los Angeles County Public Safety Workers Scam the System (editorial - Daily News)
• Kentucky Senate Okays $800 Million in Bond Sales for Pensions
• Kentucky Legislature Moving Too Fast on Pension Overhaul, Says Employee Rep
• Michigan Lawmakers Should Follow Through on Benefit Cuts (editorial - Detroit News)
• New Jersey Lawmakers Bid to Have, Eat Turnpike Cake (column)
• Market Volatility Exposes Pension Wagers (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Madam Speaker, Don't Forget About Your Grandchildren (column)
• Lawmakers Target Hidden 401(k) Plan Fees

March 6, 2007

• Los Angeles County Public Safety Workers Retiring on Disability Pensions at Increased Rate
• California Columnist Lives to Tell of Retired Public Employees' Scorn (column)
• Illinois' Governor Wants to Link Lottery to State's $42 Billion Pension Liability
• Huge Cost of Public Retiree Health Benefits Could Create Fiscal Crisis
• Pennsylvania's Auditor General Blasts Allegheny County Port Authority Pension Deficits
• Stock Market Tumble Contributed to Lower Funding Status of US Pension Plans, Says Mellon Report (press release)
• Puerto Rico to Sell $9 Billion in Bonds to Cover Pension Shortfall
• Dwarfs in India to Be Covered by Pensions for the Disabled, but Eunuchs Won't
• Korea Mulls Raising Retirement Age From 57 to 62

March 5, 2007

• Comptroller General of the United States Says Medicare Program Endangers the Country's Financial Stability
• Find Fair Deal for Public Employees (editorial - Pasadena Star-News)
• Contra Costa County's Retiree Benefit Woes (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• California's Blue-Ribbon Pensions (editorial - San Francisco Chronicle)
• CalPERS and CalSTRS Investments Under Fire
• San Diego/county: Denying Supervisor a Vote on Pension Issue Is a Myopic Move (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: Council's Financial Training to Begin -- a Result of SEC Settlement
• Higher Pension Costs Cited in Morris County, New Jersey's Proposed Budget
• Pensacola, Florida Budget Cuts Loom Payroll and Pension Costs Rise
• Lane County, Oregon Pay Is Lavish, Compared With the Private Sector
• Evanston, Illinois Okays Tax Hike and Staff Cuts Due to 'Structural' Spending Gap
• Iowa Public Employees' Low Health Insurance Premiums Questioned
• Pennsylvania Should Establish Pension System for All Workers (op-ed)
• Colorado Pension Fund Nixes Governor's Bid to Hike Executives' Benefits
• New Research Backs Competence Tests for Pilot Retirement Rather Than Age
• Benefits Eat 44% of Payroll, Says Study by US Chamber of Commerce
• Global Economy Requires a Global Approach to Retirement Plans

March 3, 2007

• Retiree Benefits Surge to $2.6 Billion in Contra Costa County, California
• Contra Costa County Report on Retiree Health Care Costs (pdf)
• San Diego/city: Federal Pension Trial Put on Hold
• Closed Texas Pension Loophole Could Still Cost US Billions
• Kentucky's Senate Leaders Push Fix of $12 Billion Pension Liability
• New Jersey Teacher's Pension Fund Sees Funding Level Slip

March 2, 2007

• San Diego/county: Retirement Board Decides Jacob Can't Vote on Health Issues
• New Jersey's Teacher Pension Fund Liability Has Grown to $10 Billion
• New Jersey's Pension Fund as Tollkeeper: a Way Around the Skeptics
• San Antonio, Texas Backs Legislation for Police, Fire Health Funds
• House Okays Bill Making It Easier to Form a Union
• Uk's Unilever Scraps Defined-Benefit Pension Plan

March 1, 2007

• How to Help Americans Save More for Retirement (column)
• San Diego/city: the Road to Reform: Are We There Yet? (blog)
• Goodyear to Freeze Salaried Pensions and Switch to 401(k)s
• Goodyear Announces Changes to US Pension, Retiree Benefit Plans (press release)
• Pension Costs Rise for Norwalk, Connecticut

February 28, 2007

• Sutter County, California Supervisors' Pension Vote Triggers Public Outcry
• States' Pension Shortfalls Widen Amid an Increase in Tax Receipts, Says S&P Report
• New Idea for the New Jersey Turnpike: Let the Pension Fund Run It
• Fedex Freezes Defined-Benefit Pension Plan
• Federal Judge Says Cash Balance Plans Are Not Age Discriminatory
• UK Pension Deficits Rise $21.5 Billion After Yesterday's Stock Market Slump

February 27, 2007

• New California Public Employees Should Work to Age 65 (column)
• CalPERS Announces Creation of Prefunding Program for Retiree Benefits
• CalPERS Launches Prefunding Plan for Retiree Health Benefits (press release)
• New Jersey Retired Teachers Told: Medical Bills Are on the State
• Knox County, Tennessee Okays Funding $57 Million Sheriff's Office Pension Plan
• Leesburg, Florida Police-Fire Pension Fund Shortfall Resolved

February 26, 2007

• San Jose, California Can't Say How Much Employee Salaries, Benefits Grew
• CalPERS Investigates Former Redding, California City Manager's Bonuses and Pension
• CalPERS Says Bonus Counts as Part of Former Redding City Manager's Income
• Opaque Deals Fuel Public Suspicions About Redding City Hall (editorial - Record Searchlight)
• San Diego/county: Regarding Those Hedge Fund Investments (blog - Econbrowser)
• Vote Yes on Pension-Related Charter Amendment M (editorial - Los Angeles Times)
• New York Mayors Want More Power to Control Fringe Benefits
• Pension Costs Rise for Greenwich, Connecticut
• Some Utah Public Employees May Have to Choose Between 401k or Pension
• North Carolina's State Treasurer Defends Pension System
• John Bulger Sues Massachusetts for Pension
• Hewlett-Packard and Surewest to Cut Off Pension Contributions
• Gap Between Retiree Benefits for Government, Private Workers Widens
• Brewin' Benefits at Starbucks
• Social Security: a Contrarian View
• Bulgaria's Pension System Needs Serious Analysis, Says Labor Minister

February 23, 2007

• New California Pension Commission Has Its Work Cut Out for It (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Employee Benefits Rise to 44% of Payroll Costs, US Chamber of Commerce Survey Finds
• Massachusetts Retirement Board Rejects Pension Boost Claims Based on Perks
• 'Contribution-Based' Pension Would Ease Inequities in Massachusetts (editorial - Worcester Telegram)
• Indiana Company Plans to End Retiree Benefits in March
• Canada's Private-Public Pension Gap Unfair, Says Business Group

February 22, 2007

• CalPERS May Boost Health Fees
• Coalition of California Public Employees Reacts to Pension Commission Appointments
• San Diego/city: Expert Opinions Abound, Differ on Pension Costs
• Deficit for New Jersey's Largest Pension Fund Increases by $2.7 Billion to $7.2 Billion
• New Jersey State Employees Make Concessions to Avoid Pension, Benefit Cuts
• Firefighters' Pension Board Demands That City of Cairo, Illinois Pay Its Bill in Full
• Pension, Benefits Stripped From Former Mayor of Brick Township, New Jersey
• Massachusetts Congressman Could Reap $99k State Pension as UMass Chancellor
• AARP Poll Finds Majority of Americans Back Painful Social Security Changes
• Suntrust Converts to Cash Balance Pension Plan
• Guess Who Will Have to Help With Your Retirement? (column)

February 21, 2007

• Pension Gap Divides Public and Private Workers
• California Pension Commission Panelists Announced
• Bios of Appointees to California's Public Employee Post-Employment Benefits Commission (press release)
• 'Prefunding' Liabilities Beats Waiting on California Pension Report (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Middletown, New Jersey to State: Keep Your Pension Money
• Capitol Hill Full of Pension Allies

February 20, 2007

• Illinois Faces $16 Billion Pension Shortfall
• Newton, Massachusetts Pension Board Hit Over Returns; Growing Chorus for State Control
• It Pays to Retire in Quincy, Massachusetts
• Massachusetts' Bulger Pension Loophole Should Be Closed (editorial - Boston Herald)
• Oregon Pension Board Announces Preliminary 2006 Earnings for Member Accounts
• Rhode Island's Aging Work Force Poses a Dilemma
• European Union to Warn Italy to Curb Debt, Make Pension Changes

February 19, 2007

• Sacramento Fiddles While California's Pension Crisis Burns (editorial - Orange County Register)
• San Diego/county: Pension Fund's Future Health at Issue (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Los Angeles Times Columnist Is Running for President -- To Get the Pension (column)
• Bill Would Boost Los Angeles School Board Pay 650%
• DROP Reform: Set the Stage for Downshifting (column)
• Pittsburgh's Pensions: Sans Reform, Disaster (editorial - Tribune-Review)
• Measure Aims to Shore Up Hawaii's $5.3 Billion Underfunded Pension Plan
• Massachusetts' Governor's Proposal Targets Health, Pension Costs (editorial - Worcester Telegram)
• Utah Legislative Panel Splits on Traditional Pension Versus 401(k)
• Kentucky's Retirees Have It Better Than Counterparts in Other States
• New Jersey's Pension Deficit Disorder
• New Jersey Newspaper Posts Salaries of 275,000 Public Employees
• New Hampshire Pension System's Woes Will Force Expensive Changes
• Like Automakers, Michigan Schools Must Change or Perish
• Proposed Bill Would Protect Social Security Fund
• Lean Times for Union Pensions

February 16, 2007

• Sunnyvale, California City Council Cuts Its Own Retirement Benefits
• Chicago-Area Public Pension Funds' Situation Worsens, Says Report
• New Jersey Pension Panel to Disclose Personal Financial Records
• Funding Alaska's Pension Funds Is Vital (op-ed)
• Pennsylvania Think Tank Compares Hourly Pay of Teachers Vs. White Collar Workers (PDF)
• Military Pension Should Offer Some Comfort (column)

February 15, 2007

• CalPERS' Curbs on Investing in Emerging Markets Costs It $400 Million in Earnings
• CalPERS Towers Developer Defaults on Loan
• San Diego/city: Survey Says San Diego Firefighters' Take-Home Pay Is Subpar
• Massachusetts' Governor Proposes the State Take Over Underperforming Local Pension Funds
• Illinois Legislator Proposes Defined Contribution Pension Plan for New Hires (letter)
• New Jersey Newspaper Provides Database of Public Employee Salary, Pension Info
• Delta Airlines' Loss Widens to $2 Billion on Pension Costs

February 14, 2007

• Sacramento City, County Retirees Face Health Benefit Cuts Due to GASB 45
• Increased Health Fees Pain Federal Workers in Northern California
• El Paso, Texas Pension Underfunding Problems 'Solved' With $210 Million in Bonds and New Two-Tier Plan (with video)
• Cutting Health Benefits an Option to Reduce Nevada's $4.1 Billion Unfunded Liability
• New York Public Employees Defend Right to Health Benefits
• Employee Benefits Continue to Decline in Washington State
• New Castle County, Delaware Pension Plan Was the One to Die for (column)
• New Mexico Governor Still Doesn't Like Lawmakers' Pension Boost
• Alaska's Attorney Makes a Case for Actuarial Lawsuit

February 13, 2007

• Coveted Retirement Packages Are Suddenly Empty
• CalPERS Calls Report on Escalating Pension Costs in California 'Highly Contrived'
• Pension Crisis Looms for California Bay Area's Biggest Cities (with video)
• President's FY 2008 Budget 'Borrows' $674 Billion From Social Security
• Pension Risk of Greater Concern in Europe
• Archdiocese of Boston Scrambles to Shore Up Teetering Pension System

February 12, 2007

• In Orange County, It's a Nguyen for Taxpayers and Possible Pension Reform (column)
• Diversion of Pension Funds Riles California Teachers
• San Diego/city: Payback Period on Pension Debt Could Get Political
• Texas' New $50 Billion Question
• El Paso, Texas Facing a $350 Million Pension Deficit
• Address Unfunded $10 Billion Liability in Alaska's Public Retirement Systems, Says Legislator
• Alaska's $12 Million Lawsuit Against Actuary Looks Dubious (editorial - Anchorage Daily News)
• Tax Breaks on Social Security Benefits Creates a Win-Win Situation, Says Missouri GOP Official
• New Brief 'What Happens to Health Benefits After Retirement?' Now Available

February 9, 2007

• Spiraling Public Employee Pensions and Health Costs Pose a Serious Threat, Says Moody's Report
• California Governor Should Give Up on Illegal Pension Bond (column)
• Former California Legislator Continues Push for Pension Reform
• Farewell to a Pension Scandal (editorial - Sacramento Bee)
• Public Employee Groups Don't Like Montana Governor's Pension Fix

February 8, 2007

• San Diego/city: Mayor and City Attorney Want to End Special DROP Retiree Accounts
• Report Denies Problem in Police, Fire Pensions in San Jose, California
• New Jersey Retirees' Health Benefits Tab Swells to $78 Billion
• Prospect Heights, Illinois Faces $1.4 Million Unfunded Police Pension Liability
• Effort to Set Up Talks on Social Security Sputter
• Budget Debate Ignores Much Bigger Problem of Social Security, Medicare (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)

February 7, 2007

• San Diego/city: Mayor, City Attorney Blast Pre-Retirement Pension Payouts
• San Diego/city: Pension Board Member Resigns, Citing Differences With Mayor Over Deficit Estimate
• Pittsburgh Looking for Pension Help From Pennsylvania Legislature
• Massachusetts Lawmakers Push Plans to Curb High Pension Payouts
• Tax-Break Plan for Retirees Advances in Missouri but May Be Illegal
• New Jersey Appointee Will Refuse Third Pension (editorial - Home News Tribune)
• Veterans' Health Care Hit Hard by Bush Budget's Fee Hikes
• Ukraine Pension Debt Soaring, Says Imf

February 6, 2007

• Connecticut Teachers' Pension Fund May Be in Jeopardy
• Teachers Back Legislation to Fix Connecticut's Pension Fund Deficit
• Massachusetts Pension Fund Grows at Twice the Expected Rate
• PBGC Could Set Variable Premium Under Bush Budget Proposal
• IRS Puts a Stingy Spin on Its Interpretation of the Pension Protection Act

February 5, 2007

• Pensions, Politics a Deadly Duo in California (column)
• San Diego/city: Move City Workers to a 401(k)-Style Pension (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/county: Ignoring Law, Facts Will Hurt County Retirees (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/county: the Conflicted Conflict Police (column)
• State and Local Governments' Pension Practices Angering Taxpayers
• Coalition of Kentucky Advocacy Groups Warn of Crisis in State's Retirement Systems
• Legislation Would Reform New Hampshire's Retirement System
• Illinois Taxpayers Stuck With $55 Billion Unfunded Pension Liability, Report Says
• Avoid Creating More Teacher Pension Woes in West Virginia (editorial - Wheeling News-Register)
• Pension Bond Plan for Connecticut's Cities Has Merit (editorial - Waterbury Republican-American)
• Health Insurance for Towns on Massachusetts' Martha's Vineyard Costs Millions
• Stop the Pension Grab in Massachusetts (editorial - Patriot Ledger)
• Bush Warns That Medicare, Social Security Need Change to Avert Financial Trouble
• Doing Nothing Is a Threat to Social Security System (column)
• Senators Question US Airways' Pension Policy
• 10,000 Jobs May Be Cut at Chrysler

February 3, 2007

• Is Connecticut Insolvent? Does Anyone in Hartford Care?
• Health Insurance Break for West Virginia Legislators Not Playing by the Rules (editorial - Wheeling News-Register)
• Social Security Reform Hopes Slim, Says Treasury Secretary Paulson
• Social Security New Weapon in Illegal Immigration Battle
• Russia Pushes for Private Pensions
• Argentine Pension Fund Reform Proposal Gets Mixed Marks

February 2, 2007

• San Diego/county: Supervisors' Order to Cut Benefits Out of Order, Says Pension Fund's Lawyer
• Elsmere, Delaware Has Solution to Pension Fund Deficit
• In Connecticut: Fired, With Benefits
• Bush Seeks Big Medicare and Medicaid Saving
• Hungary's Pension System 'Unsustainable' Says Prime Minister

February 1, 2007

• California Governments' Pension Benefits Are Threatening Solvency
• Longtime Board Member to Help Probe Pennsylvania's School Pension Problems
• Alaska Governor Asks for $12 Million to Sue Former State Pension Consultants
• Fix Social Security -- or Give Us Back Our Money (column)

January 31, 2007

• Former California Assemblyman Richman Calls State Pensions a 'Ticking Time Bomb'
• Plan to Cut Sacramento County Retirees' Health Benefits Protested
• Chattanooga, Tennessee to Look Into Sharp Rise in Police and Fire Pension Costs
• Wisconsin Government Needs to Act on Pension Crisis Asap (editorial - Oshkosh Northwestern)
• Correct Mistake on West Virginia's Teacher Pension Plans (editorial - Wheeling Intelligencer)
• US Plans Stronger Oversight of 401(k)s

January 30, 2007

• Governments in Wisconsin Are Facing a $17.4 Billion Pension/Benefit Shortfall, New Study Says
• Download the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute Study (pdf)
• Connecticut's $14.8 Billion in Unfunded Pension Liabilities Equals Entire State Budget (editorial - the Day)
• Taxpayers, Get Ready to Bail Out Underfunded Public Pension Plans (editorial - Indianapolis Star)
• Editorial Cartoon on How Indianapolis' Mayor Is Grappling With Pension Deficit
• Sutter County, California's Pension Formula Change Criticized
• Workers' Comp Abuse by California Highway Patrol Intolerable (editorial)
• Newport News, Virginia Girds for Its Pension Shortfall
• Social Security: a Bigger Retirement Rip-Off Than Enron (column)
• Medicare Premium Increase Eroding Bumps in Social Security

January 29, 2007

• Bakersfield, California Has a Combined Pension, Healthcare Deficit of $180 Million
• Pensions, Retiree Medical Costs Are Biggest Issues Facing Orange County, Says Supervisor Moorlach (column)
• Newport Beach, California Lifeguards Want Same Pension as Police Officers and Firefighters
• California's Total Pension Liability Unclear; Some Estimates Put Costs at $100 Billion
• Upset by Furor, Sacramento Fire Chief Says He'Ll Stay Retired
• Pension Crisis Waiting in the Wings in Oklahoma
• Perks, Abuses Threaten Public Pension Plans in Massachusetts (editorial - Worcester Telegram & Gazette)
• Judge Nixes Merger of West Virginia's Teacher Pension Plans
• Pension Crackdown on Corrupt Congressional Lawmakers Full of Cracks (editorial)
• Proposed Pension Freeze a Key Issue in Metal-Matic Strike in Minnesota

January 26, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Attorney Appeals Ruling Against Pension Rollbacks
• San Diego/city: April 12 Set for Pension Hearing
• Massachusetts Legislator Argues for Pension Hike Based on Office Expense Reimbursements
• Illinois Teachers' Pension Plan to Bet $1 Billion on Hedge Funds
• Democrats' Turn to Tackle Social Security (column)
• Debate on Public Employee Pensions Begins in South Korea

January 25, 2007

• San Diego/city: Pension Deficit Needs Bigger City Payments (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: How to Pay Police and Reduce the Pension Shortfall (column)
• Paying for Public Retiree Healthcare in Massachusetts (column)
• Pension Costs May Cut Housing Projects' Police Patrols in Pittston, Pennsylvania
• New Mexico Rep Pushes for Higher Pension Cost of Living Increases
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Council Boosts Pension Plan for Veteran Cops
• Reform in New Jersey Is Slip-Sliding Away (column)
• Crime Pays Your Pension in Congress (editorial - Jackson Citizen Patriot)

January 24, 2007

• Minnesota's Largest Pension Funds Face Possible $4 Billion Shortfall (with video option)
• San Diego/county: Amaranth Hedge Fund Repays $48.2 Million to County Pension Fund; More Likely
• Plan to Retain Retired Sacramento Fire Chief Ignites Questions
• House Passes Bill to Deny Pensions to Lawmakers Convicted of Corruption
• CalPERS May Manage Funds of Private Investors

January 23, 2007

• St. Paul, Minnesota Teachers' Retirement Fund Deficit at $420 Million
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Wants Labor Talks Public
• Companies' Pension Funding Improved in 2006, Says Study
• Boomers' Big Inheritance: Is It Enough?
• Social Security Storm Clouds (editorial - Boston Globe)

January 22, 2007

• California Governor Ducks Unfunded Pension Liabilities Crisis (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: Actuary Cautions City on Pension Payments
• San Diego/city: Pension System Must Be Restructured, Says Head of New Think Tank
• Ventura County, California's Finances Are Back on Track, Says Ceo
• Mayor Bloomberg's Pension Misfire (column)
• Delaware Legislators Want to Cut Full Retirement From 30 to 25 Years
• One in 21 in West Virginia Gets a State Paycheck
• Pension Reform Worth Exploring in Warwick, Rhode Island (editorial - Daily Times)
• Ohio Judges Collect Both Pay and Pension
• Democrats' Proposed Tax on 'Big Oil' Will Hit Public Employee Pension Funds Hard (editorial - New York Post)
• Fragile Hopes for Bipartisan Rescue of Social Security
• Federal Reserve Chief Bernanke Hints at Investment Issues Raised by Budget Woes
• Dodging the Perfect Storm of Entitlements: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security (column)

January 20, 2007

• San Diego/city: Mayor Wants Council to Put More Money Into Pension System
• California Governor's Budget Omits $380 Million State Employee Retiree Health-Care Item
• Port St. Lucie, Florida's Police Chief Aims to Add Pension to Salary
• Going After Pension Padders in Massachusetts (editorial - Patriot Ledger)
• Putting Off Social Security Fix Akin to Civic Arson (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• PBGC Takes Over Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Pension Plans

January 19, 2007

• San Diego/city: Mayor Not Swayed by News of Drop in Pension Deficit
• Sacramento, California Has 'Retired Annuitants' Running Fire Department
• Dover, New Hampshire Police Chief's Pension Will Be Greater Than His Salary
• Knox County, Tennessee's Sheriff Likely to Get $80k Annual Pension
• West Virginia Troopers Sue State Over Pension Funds
• To Jam Washington's Revolving Door, Deny Pensions to Congressmen-Turned-Lobbyists, Says Columnist
• PBGC Assumes $12.4 Million Venture Debt

January 18, 2007

• As State Pension Liabilities Outpace Revenue, Lawmakers Wrestle With Benefits
• Gap Between Public, Private Pensions Grows in Canada, Says CFIB Report
• Download the report issued by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (PDF)
• Article Looks at Impact of New Accounting Rules on Defined-Benefit Pensions
• The Hedge Fund Bezzle (UK column)
• Italy Forced to Confront Need for Pension Reform

January 17, 2007

• IBM Fights Off Cash Balance Pension Appeal to Supreme Court Seeking Over $1 Billion
• Issues Left Unresolved on Pensions After Court Declines to Hear IBM Case Arguments
• Pawtucket, Rhode Island Needs to Increase Pension Contributions, Says Actuary
• Illegal Immigrants Subsidize Social Security to the Tune of $7 Billion Per Year
• Public Employee Unions Are a Major Obstacle to Fighting Waste, Abuse
• NASRA Backs Automatic Enrollment in Defined-Contribution Plans for Government Employees
• Can Finland Show EU Way Out of Pension Crisis?

January 16, 2007

• California Public Employee Pensions Costing Billions Per Year and Growing Fast
• San Diego/city: Pension Costs Piped Into Water and Sewer Bill Increases
• Hoyer to Put Pensions in Crosshairs in the House
• Cons of Congress (editorial - Times-Union)

January 15, 2007

• California's Deficit Tamed? Give Me a Break (blog)
• San Diego/city: Police Circulate Questionable Commercial in Quest for Pay Hike (blog)
• Public Unions Are Holding the Country Hostage (letter)
• Alaska Legislature May Revisit Pension Changes
• New York City Pensions May Invest in Hedge Funds
• A Sweet Pension Deal for 'Official' Felons
• US Senate Votes to Strip Pensions From Convicted Lawmakers
• The Federal Judiciary: There's No Pay Crisis (editorial - Jackson Citizen Patriot)
• New Hampshire Firm Collins & Aikman in Talks With PBGC About Pension Plan

January 13, 2007

• San Diego/city: Pension Deficit Apparently Decreases Based on New Calculation Method
• San Diego/city: Pension Fund Reports Bump in Funding
• Rhode Island's School Districts Are in a Serious Financial Pickle
• New Accounting Rule Will Force Texas Cities to Track Costs of Retiree Benefits
• Ryder to Phase Out Defined Benefit Plan, Beef Up 401(k)
• Ryder's Decision to Freeze Pension Plans Reflects Ongoing Trend
• Ryder to Change US Pension Plan and Offer Enhanced 401(k) Plan (press release)

January 12, 2007

• San Diego/city: City Attorney Back in Court With Objections to Judge's Pension Case Ruling
• New Jersey Senate Tweaks Pension Reform Bill
• Stop Stalling on Pension Reform in New Jersey (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• 25 Years On, Chile Has a Pensions Message for Britain
• India's Civil Service Pensions 'Out of Control'

January 11, 2007

• Study on California Pension Systems Released by Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation
• Read or Download the 157-Page California Study (pdf/1.5mb)
• San Diego/city: Pension Fund Alternatives Considered
• San Diego/city: City Prepares to Sell First Batch of Land to Manage Fiscal Crisis
• Indianapolis Mayor's Plan Includes Paying Down Pension Liability
• Teachers Make Mockery of Arizona's Retirement System (editorial - East Valley Tribune)
• Massachusetts State Treasurer Seeks to Blunt Impact of Bulger Pension Spike
• Any Social Security Overhaul Must Keep Women in Mind (column)
• Public Employees Launch Fierce Opposition to Pension Reform in Korea
• Pension Payouts Differ in Public Employee, Private Sectors in Japan

January 10, 2007

• San Diego/city: Time for the Pain (editorial - voiceofsandiego.org)
• San Diego/county: Union Slams Supervisors Over Possible Retiree Health Care Cuts
• Union Asks to Bar Orange County Supervisor Moorlach in Health Fund Tussle
• $10.57 Billion Pension Shortfall Threatens Oklahoma State Employees' Retirement Security
• Fix the Kansas Retirement Fund's $5.1 Billion Unfunded Liability (editorial - Topeka Capital-Journal)

January 9, 2007

• My First Month as an Orange County Supervisor (column - Subscription Required)
• San Diego/city: Council May Seat New Audit Committee
• San Diego/county: Retirees Call for County Supervisor to Resign From Pension Board
• Make Public and Private Sector Benefits Parallel (editorial - Herald-Dispatch)
• Misconceptions About Illinois' Taxing and Spending
• Will President Bush Back Lifting the Social Security Payroll Tax Cap? (column)

January 8, 2007

• No More Studies Needed on California's Pension Mess (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Cable TV Show Exposes California's Public Pension 'Ticking Time Bomb'
• Video Preview (11 Minutes) of 'The Ticking Time Bomb'
• San Diego/city: a Collision of Two Forces in Pension Issue
• West Virginia Legislature May Tackle Growing Pension Liability
• West Virginia Education Coalition to Rally for Higher Pay, Benefits
• Analysis Questions Health of Minnesota's Pension Funds
• New Jersey State Senator Feeding Well at Taxpayer-Funded Trough (column)
• Pensions on List of Kansas Legislature's Top Issues for New Session
• Mexico's 'Braceros' Revive Campaign to Secure Pension Payments
• Many Seniors Postponing Retirement
• British Airways Reaches Accord With Unions on Pension Deficit
• Report Examines Global Aging and Public Pension Systems

January 6, 2007

• California Public Employee Pensions: Sunshine at Last? (column)
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Calls for Re-Pricing of Service Credit Purchases
• California Highway Patrol Overtime Misused, Says Internal Audit
• California's Governor Schwarzenegger in Row Over Public Employee Pension Claims
• Nevada Governor Will Try to Cut $10 Billion Pension and Health Care Liability
• Nevada to Pay $4.1 Billion For'Free' Lifetime Health Care (editorial - Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• New Jersey State Senator Being Investigated Files to Collect His $83,000 Pension
• Alaska Court Says No Cost-Of-Living Allowance for Out-Of-State Retirees
• Social Security Siphon (editorial - Washington Times)
• Hasta La Vista, Social Security (editorial - Investor's Business Daily)
• US-Mexico Social Security Agreement Released After 3 Year FOIA Battle; Mexican Illegals Could Get Billions of Social Security Dollars (press release)
• PBGC Takes Over Pension Plan for Pilots at Delta Air Lines
• Most Canadians Plan to Work After Retirement Out of Necessity

January 5, 2007

• San Diego/county: Retirement Board Balks at Proposal to End Health Care Subsidies
• New Orange County Supervisor Moorlach Takes on the Pension Dragon
• CalPERS Assets Increase by $27 Billion in 2006
• Kansas Pension Fund's $5.1 Billion Shortfall a Priority for Legislative Session
• Health Costs Hit Massachusetts Towns in Wallet; Employees Asked to Shoulder More
• Most Americans Significantly Underestimate Health Care Costs, Survey Shows (press release)
• China Pension Scandal May Spur Reform and Help Focus Attention on Looming Pension Crisis, Says Expert

January 4, 2007

• Retiree Medical Costs and Health Insurance Trust Fund Audit Stall Contract Talks With Orange County Deputy Sheriffs
• San Diego/city: Costs of Wall Street Exile Mount
• Press Release: California State Employees Association Calls for Honesty in Discussing Public Employee Benefits
• Most of Budget Increase for Oregon's Schools Will Go to Pensions, Benefits
• More Money for Oregon's Schools, but Most Will Go to Salaries, Pensions and Benefits
• Atlanta, Georgia's Mayor Says $250 Million Is Needed to Fund Pension Plan
• No Surplus Sugarplums in Kentucky (editorial - Courier-Journal)
• Unused Sick Time Payout Perks in Wisconsin Have to Go (editorial - Oshkosh Northwestern)
• Critics Say Social Security Deal Would Give Billions to Mexicans

January 3, 2007

• Gov. Schwarzenegger Will Be Retired Before Pension Reforms Are Made in California (editorial - Orange County Register)
• State of Denial (editorial - San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Governments to Struggle With New Pension Accounting Rules; Service, Benefit Cuts Could Be Coming
• Pittsburgh's Port Authority Threatens Service Cuts to Deal With Pension, Health Costs
• New Jersey Officials Seek Bargaining Power on State Health Benefits
• DB-ization
• Sun Sets on the Boomers

January 2, 2007

• Federal Government Retirees Get Pension Increase of 2.3-3.3%
• Pension Deficit Rising in California
• Ohio Teachers Need to Give in Order to Get (editorial - Dayton Daily News)
• Increased Oversight of New Jersey's Pension Fund in the Works
• In 2007, Save Social Security (editorial - Charleston Daily Mail)
• Airline Captains Renew Effort to Up Retirement Age
• Reform of Public-Sector Pensions in Korea Likely to Be Delayed

January 1, 2007

• California's Public Employee Retirement Costs Could Hit $100 Billion
• US Government's Liabilities and Unfunded Commitments Rise to $50 Trillion
• San Diego/city: Mayor Finds City's Woes Don't Have Quick Fixes
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Reveals $1.6 Million in Outside Counsel Costs on Pension Cases
• San Diego/city: Auditor Counts on In-House Changes
• Higher Taxes Needed to Pay Illinois' $106 Billion Liability? (editorial - Daily Journal)
• Kentucky Lawmakers Weigh Applying Part of Surplus to Pension Liability
• The Pennsylvania Legislature Has a Funding Crisis to Solve (editorial - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Staggering Public Pension Debt Must Be Paid, Says Columnist

December 30, 2006

• This Time, Let's Get State Pension Reform Done Right, Says California Governor
• San Francisco Is Seen as a Model of Public Employee Pension Restraint
• San Diego/city: Council Members Under Investigation Could Face Paying Own Legal Fees
• Alabama Pension Fund Is State's Largest Hotel Developer
• Bethlehem Steel Retirees' Benefits Coalition to Dissolve
• Business Owner Crunches Numbers, Can't Offer Health Benefits for Families
• Elder-Care Costs Deplete Savings of a Generation

December 29, 2006

• California Governor Creates Commission to Study State's $49 Billion Public Employee Pension Liability
• Press Release: Gov. Schwarzenegger Establishes Commission Addressing Public Employee Pensions
• Major News Coverage of Governor Schwarzenegger's Pension Commission Announcement
• Schwarzenegger Takes on California's Pension and Benefit Reform (editorial - Press-Telegram)
• We Applaud California Governor's Decision to Appoint Bipartisan Commission (editorial - Desert Sun)
• Performance Estimates for Public Employee Pension Funds About to Tighten
• Los Angeles County's Administrator Floats Health Care 'Trust Fund' Idea
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Asks for Hearing on Pension Ruling
• San Diego/city: City Employees' OTHER Pension
• Convicted Ex-Illinois Governor Sues to Keep Part of His $197,000 State Pension
• Number of Ohio Teachers Collecting Bigger Paychecks, Pensions at Same Time Has Increased 62%
• Connecticut Candidates for Governor Ignored a Looming 'Fiscal Tsunami' Says Think Tank
• Pennsylvania's Public Employees Need Retirement Security, Says Union President
• Health-Care Cost Tops Retirement Concerns, Survey Finds

December 28, 2006

• Deal Cuts Sacramento County Office of Education's Retiree Liability
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Files Objections to Recent Pension Case Rulings
• Bill Would Allow Michigan's Cities and Counties to Issue Bonds to Cover Retirees' Health Care
• Some Retired Oregon Public Employees Feel Betrayed by the State Retirement System
• Congress' New Retirement Priorities: 401(k) Fees, Medicare Drug Costs, and Social Security
• The Social Security Payroll Tax Trap (editorial - Wall Street Journal)
• Medicare Premiums About to Surge for Some Seniors Without Warning
• Northwest Airlines Pilots to Sell Partial Claim on Airline for $150 Million
• The Work-To-Retirement Ratio
• Pensions in the UK: The Haves and the Have-Nots (Public vs. Private Sector Employees)

December 27, 2006

• California's Public Retirees Feast as Others Pay Piper
• Pension Mess Looms for Pennsylvania (editorial - Sentinel)
• No One Is Telling Truth About Pensions in New Jersey (letter)
• Ford Employees Taking Gamble by Staying on Job
• Boomers Need to Do Homework on Retirement

December 26, 2006

• FAS 158 Changes the Rules of Corporate Pension Accounting (free subscription required)
• Retirement Perks Placing Cathedral City, California in Debt
• Vista, California School District Works to Address Benefit Costs
• Pension Proposal Aims to Attract More Volunteer Firefighters in Red Hook, New York
• Montana's Voters Mixed on How to Address $1 Billion Pension Shortfall
• Once-Hot Pension Issue Now on the Back Burner in Montana
• Judge Says Cash-Balance Plans Discriminate Against Older Employees
• Chile Proposes to Reform Pension System
• Bahrain's Pensions Face Bd3 Billion Deficit

December 22, 2006

• San Diego/city: Audit of City Books Delayed Again
• San Diego/city: Benefits for San Diego Police Not Competitive, Says Study
• West Virginia State Retirees to Pay More of Their Health Care Costs
• Hanesbrands Cuts Retiree Medical and Other Benefits

December 21, 2006

• No Pension Boost for County's Pest Control Staff (editorial - Orange County Register)
• Palm Springs, California Okays Bond for Pensions
• Reforming California's Pension System Is Proving to Be a Political Minefield
• Police, Firefighter Pensions Take Biggest Share of Mattoon, Illinois' Budget
• Likely Solution to Pennsylvania's Pension Crunch Found in Taxpayers' Wallets (part 5 of 5 - Centre Daily Times)
• A Huge Bill Will Soon Be Due in Pennsylvania (editorial - Centre Daily Times)
• No Pension Woes for Pennsylvania's Legislators (editorial - Valley Independent)
• Minnesota's Unfunded Pension Liabilities 'Too High' Says State Auditor
• Pension Reforms Generate New Set of Corporate Risks, Says Report
• PBGC, Judge Give Final Approval to Terminate Delta Air Lines Pilot Pensions

December 20, 2006

• SOARING COSTS: Paying for Public Employee Retirements in California's Coachella Valley (SPECIAL REPORT - Desert Sun)
• VIDEO PREVIEW of the multi-part SPECIAL REPORT in the Palm Springs Desert Sun on Soaring Retirement Costs for Public Employees
• Retirement Costs for Coachella Valley Cities, Schools at $260 Million and Rising (Part of SPECIAL REPORT - Desert Sun)
• Expensive Benefits Limit Ability to Hire Police, Fire in Coachella Valley Cities (Part of SPECIAL REPORT - Desert Sun)
• San Diego/city: Former City Attorney's E-Mails Say Pension Inquiry Had 'No Evidence'
• Pennsylvania's Jumble of Pension Plans Inefficient (part 3 of 5 - Centre Daily Times)
• Pennsylvania Retirees' Health Benefits to Cost Billions (part 4 of 5 - Centre Daily Times)
• Defuse Pennsylvania's Pension Bomb (editorial - Citizens Voice)
• Illinois' Pension System Could Move Away From Defined-Benefit Plan
• West Virginia State Workers Oppose Change to Health Care Insurance
• Time for Massachusetts Public Officials to Take a Stand on Pension Grabs (editorial - Salem News)

December 19, 2006

• Fiscal Storm on Horizon in California as Governments Must Start Acknowledging Unfunded Benefits
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Delays Appeal of Judge's Ruling in Pension Case
• Paying Health Care From Pensions Proves Costly to Local Governments
• Double-Dipping: Utah's Retirement Rules Need Tightening (editorial - Salt Lake Tribune)
• Pension Underfunding Contributes to Grim Forecast for Cincinnati's Budget
• Schools and Municipalities to Comply With Reporting Standards for OPEBs by 2008 Budget Year
• Burden of Pennsylvania's Pension Problem May Fall on School Districts
• Bulger Pension Wannabes Coming Out of Woodwork in Massachusetts (editorial - Telegram & Gazette)
• S&P 500 Pension Funds' Health Improved in '06, Says Credit Suisse Report
• You Deserve a Gift -- Cut Grinchy 401(k) Costs
• Defined Benefit Pension Plans in UK Will Be Gone in Five Years, Says Report

December 18, 2006

• Governor Schwarzenegger May Be Cooling to Reforming California's Pension Systems
• GASB 45 Will Force California's Local Governments to Review Promises Made to Public Employees
• State and Local Governments Struggle to Cover Retirees' Health Care Benefits
• San Diego/city: Pensions, a Political Firestorm, Flicker as Legal Issue
• San Diego/city: Does This Ruling Seem Right?
• Pennsylvania Legislators' Rich Pensions Complicate Reform Effort (part 2 of 5 - Centre Daily Times)
• Newly Elected Pennsylvania Lawmakers Need to Brush Up on Pension Crisis
• Retired State Workers in Oregon See Checks Reduced, Some May Owe Money
• No Way to Treat a Vulnerable Lady: Social Security Begs for Reform
• GASB Exposure Draft Seeks Enhanced Pension Disclosure Requirements
• Pension Envy Wishes to Drag Public Benefits to Level of Private Sector
• UK's Royal Family Cuts Pensions for Palace Staff; Retirement Fund Is Short £1 Million

December 17, 2006

• San Diego/city: City Attorney Wants Pension Ruling to Get Review
• Two-Thirds of Retired Police in Redlands, California Are Collecting Disability Pensions
• GASB 45 Is Now in Effect for California's Large Cities; New Accounting Rule Could Affect Taxpayers
• Newly Elected Supervisor Warns of Ever-Inflating Pensions of Orange County Employees (editorial - Daily Pilot)
• Michigan's Unfunded Health Care Costs for Public Employees Could Top $20 Billion
• Hawaii's Pension Liability Increased by $1 Billion Over the Past Year
• Public Often Pays Dearly When Pennsylvania's Politicos Cut a Deal
• Most Local Pennsylvania Lawmakers Voted for Increased Pensions
• Facts About Pennsylvania's Two Large Statewide Retirement Plans
• Pennsylvania's Taxpayers About to Be Held Up for Pensions
• Pennsylvania's Pension Problem About to Pinch (editorial - Centre Daily Times)
• Pension Crisis Looms in Pennsylvania (Part 1 of 5 - Centre Daily Times)
• Number of Underfunded Local Pension Plans on the Rise in Pennsylvania
• Local Politicians Agree That Pennsylvania's Pension System Needs Fixing
• Pennsylvania Legislators Looking at All State Pension Options
• Butler County, Pennsylvania's Retirees Will See Pension Checks Rise 3.4 Percent
• Erie, Pennsylvania Moves to Stop Costly D.R.O.P. Retirement Plan
• Erie, Pennsylvania Unions Won't Give Up D.R.O.P. Program Without a Fight
• Pension Reform Needed in New Jersey but Nowhere in Sight (editorial - Home News Tribune)
• Roadblock to Reform in New Jersey (editorial - New York Times)
• Spending Cuts Won't Solve Illinois' Budget Woes, Which Include a $40 Billion Pension Liability
• Judge Says Illinois Mayor Violated Firefighter's First Amendment Rights After He Cut Boss's Pension
• New Hampshire Pension Fund to Increase Amount Public Employers Pay Into System
• It's Payback Time for Members of Oregon's Public Employees Retirement System
• Massachusetts Ex-Officials Want Pensions Boosted Based on Bulger Ruling
• Brokers With Rosy Sales Pitches Lure Unwary 401(k) Holders
• General Accounting Office Urges More Oversight of 401(k) Plans
• Union Vows to Fight Goodyear Tire & Rubber to Protect Retiree Health-Care Benefits
• Chile's President Proposes Social Security Reform

December 16, 2006

• Orange County Sheriff's Deputies Strike Back at New Supervisor Over Pensions, Benefits
• Orange County Sheriff's Deputies Vote to Authorize 'Job Actions' Over Benefits
• San Diego/city: Court Rulings Hinder Once-Swift Pace of Pension Battle
• Ruling by California's Attorney General Is Bad News for Future Taxpayers
• Georgia's $20 Billion Health Care Liability Could Jeopardize Retirees' Benefits
• Kentucky's Governor Says Part of Surplus Must Go Toward $12 Billion Pension Shortfall

December 15, 2006

• San Diego/city: Judge Rules That Most City Pension Increases Will Stand; City Attorney Will Appeal
• San Diego/city: Judge Scales Down Landmark Pension Lawsuit; Future of Challenge Uncertain
• San Diego/city: Judge's Pension Ruling a Blow to City Attorney
• Maryland's Teacher Pensions Don't Hinder Recruitment, Says Report
• Investment Proposal Draws Fire at Texas Teacher Pension Fund Meeting
• Stop Raids on Social Security
• Russia's State Pension Fund Troubles to Worsen

December 14, 2006

• Pension Changes Could Save Money for Marin County, California
• Orange County Supervisor Moorlach Sees Problems Ahead for Pension Plan (subscription Required)
• Most Large Employers to Continue Retiree Rx Coverage, New Survey Finds (free sub required)
• New Jersey Tax and Pension Reform: They've Got Some 'Splainin' to Do
• Texas State Workers' Pension Fund Looking at Hedge Funds
• Louisiana Police Pension Fund to Sell Its Texas Golf Course Interest
• Companies Worldwide Concerned by Pension Risk

December 13, 2006

• San Diego/city: First Part of Pension Trial Near Conclusion
• San Diego/city: State Court's Delay of Pension Trial May Help Defense in Federal Case
• San Diego/city: City and Retiree Settle in Pension Lawsuit
• Sticking a Fork in New Jersey's Tax Reform
• Put All New Jersey Public Employees' Perks on the Table (editorial - Daily Record)
• 1 of 4 Boomers Won't Retire Because They Can'T, Says New Study
• Judge Upholds Ruling Allowing Delta Air Lines to Terminate Pilots' Pension Plan
• China to Launch Nationwide Audit Campaign on Social Security Funds

December 12, 2006

• San Diego/city: City Workers Get Two Pensions (news video)
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Offers 'A Hand of Friendship' to Council Members
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Uses Stick, Offers Olive Branch in '06 Review
• California Bracing for Teacher Retirement Boom
• An Estimated 14,000 New Jersey Public Employees Take Pension Protest to Statehouse
• Auto Parts Supplier Delphi Is $1.25 Billion Behind in Required Pension Payments
• As Pensions Dissolve, New Law Rewards Employers Who Pump Up 401(k)s
• Government of UK to Unveil Far-Reaching Pension Proposals Today
• China Must Shore Up Pension System or Face Crisis in Caring for Ageing Society
• Mandatory Retirement at 65 Ends Today in Ontario, Canada

December 11, 2006

• Open the Books of Orange County Deputies' Health Plan (editorial - Orange County Register)
• 30,000 New Jersey Public Employees Expected to Storm State Capital Today to Protest Pension Cuts
• New Jersey Governor Caves on Pension, Benefits Reform (editorial - Asbury Park Press)
• New Jersey Governor Defends Backing Off Public Employee Benefit Cuts
• Tensions Grow Over Pensions in New Jersey
• San Diego/city: if City Attorney Wins Pension Case, Chaos Could Follow Says Union Attorney
• San Diego/city: San Diego Ignores Retiree Health Debt Crisis (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Public Trough Cannot Be a Bottomless Pit
• Pension System for Illinois Public Workers Needs an Overhaul (editorial - Chicago Sun-Times)
• Massachusetts Cities and Towns Facing Unsustainable Health Cost Increases, Says Report
• Could Massachusetts' State Retirement System Better Manage Local Pension Funds?
• Pennsylvania School Districts' Pension Tab to Rise
• Philadelphia Newspaper's Owners Surprised at Union's Reaction to Pension Issue
• Deerfield Beach, Florida Holds Up Fire Union Contract to Scrutinize Enhanced Pension Costs
• Corporate and Public Pension Funding Still Cause for Concern
• Buyout Tempting to Ford Workers
• So You Think Your 401(k) Money Is Safe
• South Korea's Government Workers Rally to Protest Pension Reform
• Virgin Islands Considering Bailout of Government Pension System

December 8, 2006

• New Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach Takes Aim at Deputy Sheriffs' Health Insurance Fund
• Public Employee Pensions Are Top Priority for New Orange County Supervisor Moorlach
• CalSTRS to Present California Legislators With Plan to Wipe Out $20 Billion Deficit
• San Diego/city: Pension Case Ruling Due December 14
• San Diego/county: Retirement Board Angry Over Possible Cuts in Retiree Health Benefits
• 60% Pay Raise for County Supervisors Is Unreasonable (editorial - Contra Costa Times)
• Georgia's Governor Considers Cutting Retiree Benefits to Deal With $20 Billion Liability
• Changes to Iowa's Pension Fund Should Fix $2.5 Billion Shortfall, Expert Says
• New Jersey Governor Puts Brakes on Pension Reform Bill
• Paying for Promises (editorial - Financial Times)

December 7, 2006

• San Diego/city: Pension, Health Care Costs Necessitate Severe Budget Cuts
• San Diego/city: Pension Scandal Mystery: Why Aren't More Voters Much More Miffed?
• San Diego/city: New Think Tank Will Look at Pension Reform
• Are San Antonio's Pension Liabilities 'Ticking Time Bombs'?
• New Jersey Pension Reform Bill Leaves Key Issues for Governor, Unions
• School District Will Close on Monday When New Jersey Teachers Rally in Trenton
• New York Governor Vetoes Two Pension Bills
• British Airways to Resume Talks Next Week on 2.1 Billion Pound Pension Deficit

December 6, 2006

• Pension Reform Advocate John Moorlach Takes Seat on Orange County, California Board of Supervisors
• PHOTO: John Moorlach Sworn in as Orange County Supervisor
• San Diego/county: Supervisors Vote to Cut Health Care Benefits for Thousands of Retirees
• West Virginia 'Discovers' $8 Billion Liability for Retirees' Health Benefits
• Elsmere, Delaware's Police Pension Liability Nearly the Size of Town's Entire Budget
• PBGC Increases Maximum Pension Benefit by 3.9%

December 5, 2006

• San Diego/city: Auditing Firm Promises 2003 Financial Statements by Dec. 22
• Speakers Cite Binghamton, New York's Exploding Pension Costs at Assembly Hearing
• Massachusetts Grapples With Public Employee Health Costs
• Milwaukee County Task Force on Right Path With Pension Bonds (editorial - Journal Sentinel)
• Raising Teacher Pensions Hikes Costs and Does Not Help (editorial - Baltimore Examiner)
• Delta Air Lines Will Partly Compensate PBGC for Taking Over Pilots' Pension Plan
• Retirement Age Hike Won't Solve China's $102 Billion Pension Deficit, Says Survey
• Korean Government Employees to Get Less Pension

December 4, 2006

• San Diego/city: Another $1.8 Million for KPMG Audit; Predicted 'Chaos' Couldn't Make Things Any Worse
• Connecticut's Teacher Pension Fund Liability Grows to $6.9 Billion, Union Calls for Solution
• Bay County, Michigan Ensures That Its Employees Can Retire in the Lap of Luxury (editorial)
• Oregon's Pension Reforms Have Been Successful (editorial - Statesman Journal)
• Garfield Township, Illinois Board Hikes Property Tax 22% to Fund Retiree Benefits
• Lifetime Health Perk Helped Lead to Tax Increase for Garfield Township, Illinois
• Bill Targets Cook County, Illinois' Sweet Pension Deal
• New York City Again Urges Governor to Reject 2 Union-Supported Pension Bills
• Anchor Hocking, Union Square Off Over Health Coverage
• Tooling Up for Retirement
• Germany Planning to Raise Retirement Age

December 1, 2006

• San Diego/city: District Attorney's Pension Case Sent Back
• San Diego/city: Pension Criminal Case Gets New Twist by Court
• Taxpayers Shouldn't Bear the Brunt of Dumb Stunts in Los Angeles and San Diego
• Redlands, California Police Disability Retirement Deals Are Probed
• Thousands of New Jersey State Workers Rally Against Plan to Cut Pensions and Benefits
• Covington, Kentucky Pension Costs Strain City Budget
• Maryland Taxpayers Fund Rich State Retirements (editorial - Baltimore Examiner)
• Illinois' Pension Crisis Has Chicago Think Tank Seeking Tax Increases
• Ousted Pennsylvania Legislator's Pension About $60,000
• Questions Mount Over South Korea's Pension System

November 30, 2006

• San Diego/city: Pension Trial's Opening Phase Ends
• San Diego/city: 'Chaos' Predicted by Union Lawyer if Pension Increases Are Voided
• San Diego/city: Costly DROP Retirement Perk Lives on and on (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Former Illinois Governor Stripped of $200,000 Pension
• Pension Halt for Congress' Crooks Urged

November 29, 2006

• San Diego/city: Pension Consultant Has Settled Suit by City; Will Pay $4.5 Million
• San Diego/county: Stemming the Pension Benefit Tide (editorial - North County Times)
• San Diego/county: Pension Heroes (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Cook County, Illinois Board President Resigns to Double Pension
• Pension Windfall for Resigning Cook County Board President Is No Accident of Law
• Palm Bay, Florida Board Tackles Pension Fund Shortfall
• Retired State Workers in Oregon See Pensions Dip
• New Jersey Worker Unions Resist Pension Reform
• 401(k) Teaching in Workplace Must Improve

November 28, 2006

• The $1 Trillion Ticking Time Bomb in State Pensions
• San Diego/county: Proposal Would Cut Health Care Benefits for Future County Retirees
• Wheels Begin to Turn on Portland, Oregon's Pension Reform
• Unionists Say State Employees Shouldn't Be Slighted to Cut New Jersey Taxes
• Virginia Public Employees Must Make a Better Case for Big Pay Raise (editorial - Roanoke Times)
• Hamden, Connecticut Council Considers Bonds for Pensions
• West Virginia Felons Object to Pension Termination
• Atlantic City, New Jersey Officials Convicted of Bribery May Get Pensions
• No Pension for Violating the Public Trust (letter)

November 27, 2006

• New Hampshire Pension System Urgently Needs Review (editorial - Concord Monitor)
• More Questions in California Highway Patrol Disability Fraud Probe
• Saugus, Massachusetts Unions Challenge Increase in Employee Health Contributions
• Massachusetts Governor's Aide Gives Up State Appointment After Pension Criticism
• Massachusetts Sweetheart Pension Deal Undone, but for the Wrong Reasons
• Massachusetts Pension Perk Benefits Both Sides of the Aisle (editorial - Metro West Daily News)
• Chicago Public Schools Tie Office Staff Pay to Job Performance
• 47 Million Workers Are Enrolled in 401k Plans

November 23, 2006

• The Real Story of Thanksgiving . . . Happy Turkey Day!

November 22, 2006

• Massachusetts' Gov. Romney Puts Top Aide in Line for Pension
• Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Quashes Lump-Sum Pension Option
• Menninger Clinic Pension Short One $955,000 Payment
• Private Employers Eye High Health Insurance Deductibles Instead of Boosting Premiums

November 21, 2006

• Elk Grove, California Execs Give Back Lifetime Health Care Benefit
• San Diego/city: Testimony Ends in Early Portion of Pension Trial
• San Diego/city: Sec Still Checking Unnamed Officials; Taxpayers Are Footing the Hefty Legal Bills
• San Diego/city: City May Go Further With Oversight Than SEC Requests
• New Jersey Public Employees Oppose Pension Reforms
• Dwindling Number of Good Recruits Puts Springfield, Missouri Police in Bind
• Lawsuits Will Force Probes Into 401(k) Expenses
• Health Care Costs May Show Double-Digit Increase in 2007
• Studies Show Shift in Health Benefits, Attitudes
• China Needs to Urgently Address Pension Crisis, Says Head of People's Bank
• Saskatchewan to End Mandatory Retirement

November 20, 2006

• Bakersfield, California's Pension Deficit Rises Again
• San Diego/city: Will Massive Fee Increases Be Imposed to Cover Pension Obligations?
• Los Angeles Public Employee Pension Funds to Invest in Housing for Public Employees
• Part 1: New Hampshire Taxpayers on the Hook for Public Employee Pensions
• Part 2: New Hampshire's Insurance Subsidy for Retirees Is Debated as Medical Inflation Mounts
• Cook County, Illinois' Board President Could Make 'Steele' on Pension
• VIDEO: Outrage Over Cook County Board President's Pension Steal
• Illinois Board Urged to Restore Portion of Convicted Former Governor's Pension
• Clear the Air, Then Solve Alaska's Pension Crisis, Say 2 State Senators
• People on Public Payroll Should Be Banned From Nevada Legislature, Says Columnist
• UK Pension Crisis 'Is Much Worse Than Firms Say' Warns Actuary
• India Calls for Comprehensive Pension Reforms

November 17, 2006

• US Airways' Bid for Delta Air Lines Raises Questions on Some Pensions
• San Diego/city: Police Picket for Higher Pay
• San Diego Isn't the Only City With Pension Troubles, Says Bloomberg Columnist
• Long-Term Care Premiums Increase for California's Retirees, Workers
• Los Angeles Pension Funds to Invest in Affordable Housing for Police, Firefighters, Teachers
• Texas Governor Asks Pension Fund to Join in Startups Investing
• New Jersey Public Employee Unions Vow Street Fight to Oppose Pension Changes
• Rochester, New York Police Overtime Pay Investigated
• Indiana Senate's Retirement Health Care to End

November 16, 2006

• PBGC Funding Deficit Drops to $18.1 Billion; Airline Relief Credited
• US Corporate Pension Shortfalls Drop to $350 Billion, Says PBGC
• Sacramento County Targets 'Triple-Dipping' Retirees
• San Diego/city: 2 Former Officials Testify on Pensions
• San Diego/city: The Firefighter Firestorm to Come
• San Diego/city: Mayor's Plan Includes Nearly 1,000 Layoffs
• San Diego/city: San Diegans Want to Know Who Committed Fraud (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: America's Finest City* (editorial cartoon - Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: Feds' Mirror Reflects Ugly Truth About San Diego
• San Diego/city: With FEC Settlement Done, Scars Linger
• San Diego/city: City Attorney Aguirre's Success and Challenge (editorial - Voice of San Diego)
• Fort Worth, Texas Pension Fund Is Facing Painful Changes
• Fort Worth, Texas Looks at Use of Police Overtime to Pad Pensions
• Oklahoma's Teachers' Retirement System Is Third Worst Funded in Nation
• Display of Pension Firepower in New Jersey
• Pennsylvania Audit Says Labor, Pension Costs Crippling Allegheny County Port Authority
• Queen Confirms UK Retirement Age to Be Raised to 68

November 15, 2006

• San Diego/city: SEC Slams City on Pension Debt (Union-Tribune)
• San Diego/city: SEC Probe Continues Into Individuals (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego/city: City Agrees to Settle SEC Pension Fraud Case (New York Times)
• San Diego/city: SEC Sanctions City for Fraud (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego/county: County Assuming Too High Hedge-Fund Risk (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• Termed-Out Official in San Jose, California Seeks Lifetime Health Care Benefits
• CalPERS Panel Urges Health Insurance Rate Boost to Avert Deficit
• CalPERS to Push Fraud Crackdown
• New Jersey Politicians Mull Cost of Pension Status Quo
• Moody's Says Pension Accounting Changes Will Sink Net Worth of Canadian Firms
• UK Pension to Start at 68
• Surveys Show New Perspective on Retirement Savings

November 14, 2006

• San Diego/city: Actuary Says Deals Added $900 Million in Pension Benefits
• San Diego/county: To Protect Basic Pension Benefit, Drop County 'Extras' (editorial - Union-Tribune)
• New Jersey Looking at Raising Retirement Age From 55 to 62
• Access to Details o