State Pensions Viewpoints

Gov. Jerry Brown's recent pension reform proposals should be applauded and supported. It is time to update California's government employee pension systems to reflect today's reality. Grounded in a time when the promise of a generous pension was necessary to attract quality workers to an underpaid public workforce, it is unnecessary in an era when literally hundreds or even thousands of applicants scramble for a handful of available positions.

Next week, Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature are slated to begin a timely and deliberate recrafting of California's public pension system aimed at ensuring the system's stability and long-term affordability.

When it comes to technology, innovation and the arts, California often sets the bar for the rest of the country. Unfortunately the same can't be said about California's fiscal governance as the state limps from deficit to deficit, diverts spending from critical services to pay off past debts, and all too often enacts budgets that penalize job creation.

When the Legislature approved the 2011-12 state budget in June, commentators declared pension reform dead for the year, a missed opportunity for California.

CalSTRS' efforts to guard against pension spiking have recently been mischaracterized or overlooked.

In a nation ever gripped by its latest obsession, there is a new fixation. It's not some starlet's stint in rehab or a fad diet. It is an attack on the generally modest checks collected by retired firefighters, teachers, public health workers and more.

Recently I wrote that culpability for rising pension costs lies with pension fund officials and politicians, not public employees or Wall Street.

Those who want to gut retirement security for public employees in California are issuing an ominous-sounding ultimatum: Slash pensions now or slash school budgets. Trouble is, as clear a choice as it may seem, it simply doesn't compute.

The recession deserves most – but not all – of the blame for the 1,200 layoff notices mailed to Sacramento area teachers this year.

Re "Republicans seize on public pension issue" (Forum, Dan Morain, March 27):

Gov. Jerry Brown is smart to show voters he's doing everything he can to cut wasteful spending.