News by topic

Information and news relating to Oregon's Public Employees Retirement System

• PERS individual employer rates show another significant increase
  Wednesday, October 3, 2018
  The Public Employees Retirement System Board has posted individual employer rate summaries for 2019-21.
• OSBA, business and government groups seek information to guide PERS reforms
  Friday, August 10, 2018
  OSBA has joined business and government employer groups in asking the Public Employees Retirement System to analyze various reform proposals designed to lower costs.
• OSBA workshop explains relaxed PERS side account rules
  Wednesday, January 17, 2018
  Accounting rules make side accounts more effective at lowering employer rates than paying down the Public Employees Retirement System unfunded liability.
• Pension-related cost projections for 2019-21 pinch school budgets
  Thursday, November 30, 2017
  Higher-than-expected 2019-21 costs related to employee pensions have surprised some Oregon school officials and could lead them to seek budget cuts in other areas, they say.
• PERS task force suggests ways to pay down system’s debt
  Wednesday, November 1, 2017
  Paying down the Public Employees Retirement System’s debt would slow the growth of employer rates.
• PERS rates for school districts expected to increase 6.48 percent for 2019
  Wednesday, September 27, 2017
  School district PERS contribution rates will climb 6.48 percent in 2019, Milliman Inc. predicts.
• PERS task force explores options to reduce liability that would affect school districts
  Friday, September 8, 2017
  A governor’s task force reported Friday on the most promising options for reducing the Public Employees Retirement System’s shortfall.
• Employees would have to contribute toward PERS under cost-containment bill
  Monday, June 5, 2017
  Public employees would be required to contribute toward their retirement plans under one of two bills that moved Monday.
• Legislature ponders use for excess in PERS contingency fund
  Friday, March 3, 2017
  OSBA is interested in possibly retaining excess funding in the contingency reserve to help offset the difference when the PERS system does not meet the assumed rate. This would bring down the employer rate.
• City Club of Portland fosters PERS discussion
  Friday, February 17, 2017
  OSBA Executive Director Jim Green called on Oregon's government leaders Feb. 17 to tackle the issues of revenue reform and controlling spiraling costs from the Public Employees Retirement System.
• Week of hearings spotlight depth of PERS problems
  Friday, February 17, 2017
  The Public Employees Retirement System has a growing liability that is affecting the ability of cities, counties and school districts to provide services. PERS payments are dollars that schools will not get to spend in the classrooms.
• Growing PERS liability gains attention in Legislature
  Thursday, February 16, 2017
  After sobering testimony Feb. 15 on the challenges of funding the Public Employees Retirement System), state Sen. Tim Knopp offered three more legislative concepts that could potentially become bills.
• PERS’ growing liability draws attention from legislators, officials
  Wednesday, December 14, 2016
  OSBA Board Member Cheri Helt (Bend-La Pine) told the gathering of public officials, lobbyists, and others that PERS cost increases are eating away at school staffing and programs. The next round of PERS increases will cost Bend-La Pine $4.5 million, Helt said. “We will have to cut jobs or cut days,” she said. “It’s days or it’s programs or it’s teachers.”
• Jim Green talks about PERS on OPB radio
  Monday, May 6, 2013