Benefits/Retirement
Survey: Local government work force is shrinking
The recession has forced most local and state governments to layoff employees and increase employees' costs for health care, and those steps have led to lower employee morale and workload problems, according to the latest electronic survey conducted by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence....
Study: State government pension funding gap increases 26 percent
The gap between the promises states have made for public employees' retirement benefits and the money they have set aside grew to at least $1.26 trillion in fiscal year 2009, a 26 percent increase in one year, according to a report by the Pew Center on the States....
Report: New ideas for government pension plans
As some state and local governments are shifting from defined benefit to defined contribution pension plans to reduce their employee benefit costs, they should consider arrangements that include elements of both plans, according to a new report from the Center for State and Local Government Excellence....
New database gives quick access to state and local pension data
A new database from the Center for State and Local Government Excellence and the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College offers access to a variety of state and local government pension data....
It's no bargain
In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker proposed a budget that limited unions' collective bargaining power, saying it was necessary to close the state's budget...
Report: Wisconsin public servants face a compensation penalty
The argument by some that state and local government workers are more privileged than their private-sector peers is false, according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute....
Brief: Pension funding has little effect on bond ratings
States' pension funding has little effect on bond ratings, according to an issue brief from the Center for State and Local Government Excellence....
Editor's Viewpoint: Paying for the sins of the fathers
By Bill Wolpin (bill.wolpin@penton.com)
Public employees may become victims of the people's anger over pension debt....
Fire fighter association protests pension attacks
Newly released data about state and local government pensions contradict statements by politicians who are attacking fire fighters and paramedics with scurrilous statements about pension funding, says the International Association of Fire Fighters....
Illinois pension system reforms aim to preserve benefits
Illinois has passed legislation intended to further stabilize the state's pension systems for law enforcement officers and firefighters while protecting their retirement benefits, according to Gov. Pat Quinn's office....
Organizations oppose proposed federal accounting rules for pension plans
A group of nine state and local government organizations are up in arms over proposed federal legislation that would mandate federal reporting requirements on state and local governments regarding their pension costs....
Interactive map shows pension plan changes
The Center for State and Local Government Excellence has created an interactive map that shows a sample of state and local governments that have negotiated changes in pension plans....
California passes pension reform laws
California has passed a pair of new laws that are expected to save the state's public employee retirement system $100 billion over the next few decades....
Rx for controlling costs
By Robert Barkin
Plans to keep health care expenses from going off the charts....
Editor's Viewpoint: When out on a limb, don't grasp at straws
By Bill Wolpin (bill.wolpin@penton.com)
States with problems funding their pension plans should be cautious when choosing a remedy, says Editorial Director Bill Wolpin....
An easy way to pay
Changes to Oklahoma's medical benefit program for employees boost participation and savings....
Report: Locals making 'sweeping changes' to retiree healthcare plans
The suffering economy has slowed the ability of local governments to fund retiree health care obligations, according to the Center for State and Local Government Excellence....
The benefits balancing act
By Robert Barkin
As employee benefits get chopped, how will governments attract and retain people with the right skills?...
A good prognosis
By Robert Barkin
What cities and counties can expect from the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed by President Obama in March....
States not on equal pension footing
By Jennifer Grzeskowiak
Some states are ahead of others in facing a $1 trillion discrepancy between what they have promised in employee retirement benefits and what they actually have funded, according to the Pew Center for the States....
States lack $1 trillion for pensions
By Jennifer Grzeskowiak
States have only actually funded $2.35 trillion of the $3.35 trillion in employee retirement benefits they owe, according to a recently released report...
Census data shows loss in government retirement systems
State and local government retirement systems lost $178.8 billion in 2008, according to U.S. Census Bureau data....
Health care reform passes
By Ed Brock (edward.brock@penton.com)
The Patient Protection & Affordability Care Act, more commonly known as the health care reform act, has been met with praise and outrage by local and state governments....
Public retirement systems see strong third quarter
For the 100 largest retirement systems in the country, 2009's third quarter marked the highest value of total cash and security holdings in a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau....
