Capitol and California - State Politics
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Jerry Brown's pension plan explained

Published: Friday, Oct. 28, 2011 - 12:00 am | Page 12A
Last Modified: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012 - 10:47 pm

Gov. Jerry Brown estimates his public pension reform plan would save the state $4 billion to $11 billion over 30 years and $21 billion to $56 billion over 60 years. Local government pensions also would have to comply and would save proportionately similar sums, the administration said Thursday.

NEW WORKERS

These provisions would apply to new state and local workers:

• "Hybrid" pensions: New workers' retirement money would come from a blend of Social Security, a small guaranteed pension and a professionally managed 401(k)-type plan. Public safety workers don't participate in Social Security, so the other two components would be larger. Labor expected an optional hybrid, but like everything in Brown's plan, this provision is mandatory.

• Later retirement: Instead of the current age of 50 or 55 (public safety) or 62 (just about everyone else), Brown would set full government retirement at 67. Public safety workers could retire sooner, but the governor didn't offer specifics.

• Three-year averaging: Instead of using employees' highest year of earnings to calculate pension benefits, Brown wants to use an average of the highest three years to keep workers from "spiking" their pensions with short-term promotions or raises. The state allows that. Many local governments don't.

• Defines "base pay": Unused leave, overtime and other extra income would be excluded from pay calculations for pension purposes.

ALL WORKERS

These provisions would apply to current and future government employees:

• 50-50 contribution split: Employers and employees would share pension costs equally. Right now most employees pay a smaller share – some local government workers pay nothing.

• "Double dipping" limits: Sets a 960-hour annual cap on the work government retirees can do for a public employer. This aims to curb retirees drawing both a pension check and a paycheck. The state already follows this rule.

• Pensions for criminals: Employees would lose their pensions if they are convicted of a felony that happened on the job, while seeking office or appointment, or if the crime was connected with securing pay or benefits. The idea is inspired by the infamous city of Bell scandal.

• Retroactive pension hikes: Legally, pension reductions can't be applied retroactively. This proposal would do the same for pension hikes.

• Pension "holidays": Employers sometimes skip pension payments when the retirement funds are flush. That made the impact of the real estate bust and 2008 market crash worse for the funds. This provision mandates employers and employees always pay in.

• Axes "airtime:" Currently, state and many local workers can buy years of service time that they don't actually work to increase their pension payouts. This closes the window on "additional retirement service credits," but it's more symbol than substance: Few workers can pay the tens of thousands of dollars the credits usually cost.

OTHER PROVISIONS

• State retiree health: State employees must work 10 years to qualify for the government to pay half of a predetermined sum toward their health care premiums when they retire. At 20 years, the state pays 100 percent. Brown's plan would reset that to 15 years and 25 years of service for new hires only.

• CalPERS board composition: Brown wants to add two gubernatorial appointees to the CalPERS Board of Administration. Brown says two "independent" officials without career ties to the state but with financial expertise would add "sophistication" to the 13-member board of member-elected officers, politicians and department and agency heads.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.


– Jon Ortiz, Bee Capitol Bureau

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