01/07/2008 GAAS:07:08 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version |
Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Public Employee Post-Employment Benefits Commission’s Recommendations, Survey Findings
Governor Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement after the Public Employee Post-Employment Benefits Commission issued recommendations to address unfunded post-employment benefit obligations facing state and local governments. It was also tasked with assessing the total amount of unfunded benefit obligations for all local agencies. The governor created the bipartisan commission last year with a diverse group of members appointed by the governor and legislative leaders.
"I would like to thank Chairman Gerald Parsky and all the commission members for their diligent work to thoroughly evaluate the situation we face. California governments must keep their promises to the hardworking men and women who have served the public without harming funding for important government programs or shifting the burden of these obligations to our children. Over the last year, the commission has traveled around the state gathering valuable information, allowing them to gain an in-depth and realistic assessment of the fiscal health of state and local pensions and other post-employment benefit plans.
"It is remarkable that the commission, representing a bipartisan, diverse group of interests from across California, has unanimously approved thirty-five recommendations to address the soaring obligations relating to rising pension and retiree health care costs. They have undertaken a monumental first step to address this complex issue. I will be reviewing the findings and submit a formal plan to address this issue in the next thirty days. I look forward to working with leaders in both parties to ensure that public employee retirement benefits are protected while governments move forward in a fiscally responsible way."
The commission's mission was to evaluate and compare various approaches for addressing governments' unfunded retirement health care and pension obligations; consider the advantages to the state from post-employment benefits, such as providing retiree health care; and to propose a plan to address governments' unfunded retirement health care and pension obligations.
The commission consists of twelve members, six appointed by the Governor, three appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and three appointed by the Senate President pro Tem. Serving are: Gerald Parsky as chair and Matthew Barger, Paul Cappitelli, John Cogan, Connie Conway, Ronald Cottingham, Dr. Teresa Ghilarducci, Jim Hard, Leonard Lee Lipps, Dave Low, Curt Pringle and Robert Walton.
