News Articles

Oakland Pension Expert Teague Paterson on Stockton Ruling

July 19, 2015

In response to Judge Klein’s opinion approving Stockton’s bankruptcy plan today, leading pension attorney Teague Paterson of Beeson, Tayer & Bodine, who filed an amicus brief for Peace Officers Association of California in this case, has made the following statement:

New Pension Reform Efforts Are Not a Solution

June 25, 2015

By Jack Ehnes

By creating the illusion of a catastrophic pension crisis, pension critics would have you believe that the only way to create a sound and sustainable retirement savings program is to move away from a defined benefit pension, preferably replaced with a defined contribution or perhaps none all. Many recent studies, media articles and now a new ballot initiative are based on the same flawed logic.

Study says 401(k)-style public pensions cost more than traditional plans

February 10, 2015

By Tim Reid

Public worker unions and others who back traditional pensions over 401(k)-style plans got ammunition on Tuesday from a new study that shows U.S. state governments that made the switch did not achieve the predicted savings but rather lost money.

The National Institute on Retirement Security (NERS), a non-profit group that has defended traditional public pensions, issued case studies on three states that switched to 401(k)-style defined contribution retirement plans.

Statement of Dave Low on Stockton Decision

October 14, 2014

Statement of Dave Low, Chairman, Californians for Retirement Security, a coalition of more than 1.2 million teachers, police officers, firefighters, school employees, retirees, and other public employees:

CalPERS Pension Benefits Generate $30 Billion in Economic Activity

October 1, 2014

CalPERS Pension Benefits Generate $30 Billion in Economic Activity

Additional $20 Billion invested in California

SACRAMENTO, CA - More than $30 billion in economic activity was generated by retirement benefits paid by the State’s pension fund, according to a study released by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS).

Statement of Dave Low on Reed Measure Court Ruling

September 29, 2014

Contact: Steven Maviglio, 916-607-8340

Statement of Dave Low, Chairman, Californians for Retirement Security, on Court Ruling on Chuck Reed's Statewide Pension Measure

"This decision simply affirms what Mayor Reed and his allies have publicly proclaimed: the real purpose of the mayor’s attack on retirement security is to eliminate the vested pension rights of teachers, firefighters, public safety officers and millions of other hard working Californians. 

Poll: Language of Reed's Pension Measure Unpopular with California Voters

February 1, 2014

Contact: Steven Maviglio, 916-607-8340

78% Reject It After Learning It Eliminates the Vested Retirement Benefit of Public Employees

Sacramento – By wide margins, California voters are opposed to key provisions in San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s proposed ballot measure that would eliminate the vested benefit rights of public employees, according to new data released today by Washington, D.C.-based pollster Garin-Hart-Yang.