Category: P.E.R.S. - Coos County Watchdog

PERS Task Force Recommends Exempting School Districts from Urban Renewal

11/6/2017

PERS Task Force Releases Recommendations
On Wednesday, the task force appointed by Governor Kate Brown to develop solutions that reduce the unfunded liability of the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS), released its recommendations. The group was instructed to "think outside the box" and it appears they did.

Among the concepts in the 64-page report (available here), are the creation of a "PERS Resolution Plan." This would provide a matching fund for local PERS employers as an incentive to contribute funds to side accounts in order to pre-pay PERS liabilities. Providing the "seed money" for such a program would require additional analysis. The report also recognizes that preemptions on local government finances are a hindrance to the ability of cities to fund their pension obligations and should be examined.

Other recommendations would exempt the inclusion of school districts in urban renewal districts and limit economic development zone benefits. While these might provide short-term relief for some PERS employers, they would leave cities with a reduced capacity to revitalize themselves and grow their economies. The League looks forward to continued conversations with policy makers that will result in the reduction of mandated PERS costs.

Contact: Scott Winkels, Intergovernmental Relations Associate – swinkels@orcities.org

Related Posts:
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Information on the Campaign to Shut Down the Coos County Urban Renewal Agency
Coos County Republican Party Resolution Opposing School Bond Measure #6-166
Coos County Proposed Ordinance Adopting North Bay UR Plan ~ FOREVER
Coos County Commissioners Hearing on Extending the Debt of the North Bay URA
Cribbins & Sweet Utilize Voter Suppression on Urban Renewal Extension

PERS ~ Senate Committee Continues Consideration & List of Past Recommendations

3/24/2017

Senate Committee Continues PERS Consideration

The Senate Committee on Workforce, chaired by Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Portland), continued its consideration and analysis of reform concepts for the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) on Wednesday. Several amendments were introduced for SB 560, sponsored by Senator Tim Knopp (R-Bend). The amendments included the following:

• Reducing the multipliers used for calculating full-formula benefits from 1.67 percent for general service members to 1 percent for Tiers I and II, and reducing the multiplier for police and fire members from 2 percent to 1.2 percent. A retiree’s benefit is calculated by multiplying their final average salary by the multiplier for each year of creditable service (-2 amendment);

Severing the link between the assumed earnings rate and the annuity rate, and reduce it to 3.5 percent. This amendment addresses the “money-match” requirements that remain in the system. Currently, retirees eligible for the money-match are guaranteed a rate of return of 7.5 percent regardless of PERS investment earnings (-3 amendment);

• Prohibiting the use of accrued sick and vacation time that would accumulate as part of an employee’s final average salary calculation, effective on passage (-4 amendment);

• Increasing the retirement age for general service employees in the Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) from 65 to 67 years of age regardless of years of service(-5 amendment);

• Requiring a public employer to pay a percentage of an employee’s salary into PERS when they hire a retiree (-6 amendment); and

• Increasing the amount of time it takes a newly-hired employee to establish membership in OPSRP (-8 and -9 amendments).

The committee only heard testimony from an invited panel that consisted of PERS staff, legislative counsel and the state’s chief human resources officer. The panel examined the constitutionality, systems savings and human resources aspects of each of the proposals. The preliminary analysis of these amendments can be found here.
The committee is expected to continue this discussion next week.

Contact: Scott Winkels, Intergovernmental Relations Associate – swinkels@orcities.org

Recommendation from the Legislative Counsel from September of 2016

The PERS reform options deemed likely constitutional by Legislative Counsel include:
1. Cap the final average salary calculation at $100,000 per year;
2. Use a market rate for Money Match annuities;
3. Ensure all PERS members contribute to their benefit by redirecting member contributions into an account to help pay for their future retirement;
4. Stop unfair pension enhancement by preventing future unused vacation and sick leave from artificially inflating final average salary calculations;
5. Spread the final average salary calculation over five instead of three consecutive years;
6. Move all new employees to a defined contribution plan requiring employers to match the 6% employee contribution into the Individual Account Program; and
7. Allow full bargaining regarding government payment of employee PERS contributions and limiting agreements to five-year periods.

The PERS actuary, Milliman, is evaluating the financial impacts of these proposals. If implemented, these reforms would not affect benefits already accrued by current PERS members.
“We now have a solid place to start conversations on real, fair PERS reform, and we’re ready to get to work,” said Senators Knopp and Johnson. “We invite any Oregonian interested in solving our PERS crisis to join us.”

Related Posts:
PERS ~ Possible Solutions, which will be ignored by the legislature....
PERS---Promises Made, Promises Broken, along with the budget
Letter to Editor---The Problem with PERS
Action Alert:---State Legislation PERS Bill
PERS---Liability Down Strong Returns still leaves $14 Billion Deficit...
PERS---Worse than Fuzzy Math: It’s Fictional
PERS---OR Lawmakers Must Address PERS reform--Agenda 2013
PERS---Study shows advantages of 'defined benefit' pensions
PERS---issue heads back to Oregon Supreme Court
PERS---What is it?
PERS---executive director answers questions about possible reform
What is the PERS crisis?

PERS ~ Possible Solutions, which will be ignored by the legislature....

9/10/2016

Possible PERS solutions deemed likely constitutional

Posted: 09 Sep 2016 07:30 AM PDT

Sen. Betsy Johnson and Sen. Tim Knopp

Salem, Ore. – Oregon’s Legislative Counsel has released a legal opinion on the constitutionality of possible Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) reforms. Of the reforms analyzed, seven were deemed likely constitutional.
Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) and Senator Tim Knopp (R-Bend) are spearheading the Bipartisan PERS Solutions Work Group. Any Oregonian interested in pursuing fair, constitutional PERS reform is invited to participate. Invitations have also been sent to a broad, bipartisan coalition of school administrators, local government officials, and labor and business groups representing a variety of interests across the state.

“This legal opinion gives us a great foundation as we gather Oregonians around the state in our Bipartisan PERS Solutions Work Group to consider the best way to start fixing the nearly $22 billion PERS unfunded liability,” said Senators Knopp and Johnson. “We no longer want to hear that there are no solutions. Oregonians want fair, constitutional solutions to our PERS crisis and working together, we will find them.”

The PERS reform options deemed likely constitutional by Legislative Counsel include:
1. Cap the final average salary calculation at $100,000 per year;
2. Use a market rate for Money Match annuities;
3. Ensure all PERS members contribute to their benefit by redirecting member contributions into an account to help pay for their future retirement;
4. Stop unfair pension enhancement by preventing future unused vacation and sick leave from artificially inflating final average salary calculations;
5. Spread the final average salary calculation over five instead of three consecutive years;
6. Move all new employees to a defined contribution plan requiring employers to match the 6% employee contribution into the Individual Account Program; and
7. Allow full bargaining regarding government payment of employee PERS contributions and limiting agreements to five-year periods.

The PERS actuary, Milliman, is evaluating the financial impacts of these proposals. If implemented, these reforms would not affect benefits already accrued by current PERS members.
“We now have a solid place to start conversations on real, fair PERS reform, and we’re ready to get to work,” said Senators Knopp and Johnson. “We invite any Oregonian interested in solving our PERS crisis to join us.”

PERS---Promises Made, Promises Broken, along with the budget

9/22/2013

Hey Folks,
The following link will take you to a study titled “Promises Made Promises Broken, The Betrayal of Pensioners, and Taxpayers”. The report has determined that Oregon has the ninth worst PERS program, which will result in higher taxes for the Taxpayer and fewer benefits for public workers, if the Oregon state legislature does not do something about this problem. I think government employees should receive some type of pension plan, but it is going to have to come from the open market not programs sustained by tax dollars….Rob T.
http://www.statebudgetsolutions.org/doclib/20130830_PromisesMadePromisesBroken%E2%80%94TheBetrayalofPensionersandTaxpayers.pdf

Related Posts:
Letter to Editor---The Problem with PERS
Action Alert:---State Legislation PERS Bill
PERS---Liability Down Strong Returns still leaves $14 Billion Deficit...
PERS---Worse than Fuzzy Math: It’s Fictional
PERS---OR Lawmakers Must Address PERS reform--Agenda 2013
PERS---Study shows advantages of 'defined benefit' pensions
PERS---issue heads back to Oregon Supreme Court
PERS---What is it?
PERS---executive director answers questions about possible reform
What is the PERS crisis?

Letter to Editor---The Problem with PERS

6/16/2013

To the Editor:

We all recognize that PERS is the Sword of Damocles threatening Oregon's future. Unfortunately, neither the Governors proposal (sure to be legally challenged), nor public legislative proposals (minor changes that continue to kick the can down the road), provide the immediate and dramatic effort to seriously deal with the problem.

When a patient arrives at the ER with multiple injuries, doctors do not start by fixing bone fractures while the patient has uncontrolled bleeding. They follow a triage protocol that controls the bleeding first.

We need to approach the PERS problem the same way, 1. Stop the bleeding by terminating PERS for all new employees (and elected/appointed officials), immediately, let them rely on Social Security and personal IRA's like most working taxpayers. 2. Beginning with the next contract cycle, insist that the most egregious PERS abuses (the 8% guarantee, use of sick & vacation leave to inflate retirement pay, etc.), be ended or public jobs would be reduced thru privatization wherever feasible. 3. In the long term, privatization whenever possible, is the only responsible way to limit runaway government costs and increase government accountability, based on my 24 years of federal and municipal service. 4. As long as the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government remain beneficiaries of PERS, the people (taxpayers) will never have an effective advocate at contract negotiations with public unions.

John Shank.

Letter to Editor
Letter to Editor---3 Issues 4-5-13‏
Letter to Editor---The Dark-Sky Conspiracy Continues
Letter to Editor---Relax Bandon and Let there be light...
Letter to Editor---WHY DID THE CHARTER BALLOT MEASURE 6-143 NOT PASS?
Letter to Editor------Feckless or Hypocritical
Letter to the editor,---Voting for the Home Rule Charter “Voice of the
Voters” measure 6-143

Action Alert:---State Legislation PERS Bill

2/19/2013

Hey Folks,

As soon as they make the number available for this bill I will post it on the site. This is a good start to a big problem......Rob T....

Sen. Knopp & Rep. Conger introducing PERS bill

by In the news Tuesday, February 19. 2013

Sen. Knopp & Rep. Conger introducing PERS bill"

Salem, OR – Senator Tim Knopp (R-Bend) along with Representative Jason Conger (R-Bend) are set to provide fiscal relief to communities struggling with spiraling Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) expenses. Oregon agencies have to cut their service because of staggering increases in retirement expenses. The bill will remove legislators from being members of PERS.

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PERS---Worse than Fuzzy Math: It’s Fictional
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PERS---Study shows advantages of 'defined benefit' pensions
PERS---issue heads back to Oregon Supreme Court
PERS---What is it?
PERS---executive director answers questions about possible reform
What is the PERS crisis?

PERS---Liability Down Strong Returns still leaves $14 Billion Deficit...

1/26/2013

Strong investment returns in Oregon's public pension fund still leave $14
billion deficit

By Ted Sickinger, The OregonianThe Oregonian on January 25, 2013 at 6:30 PM, updated January 25, 2013 at 9:54 PM

to change Oregon's pension benefits will be argued after the Legislature opens next month.Oregon Blue
BookInvestment returns for Oregon's public pension fund exceeded 14 percent in 2012, driven by strong returns from stocks and bonds, as well as big markups in the estimated value of illiquid private equity and real estate holdings.

Gains like that will help recover a little ground on the $16.3 billion  actuarial deficit the system reported at the end of 2011. And the return number  will likely become fodder in the coming debate over reforms to the Public Employee Retirement System when the Oregon Legislature convenes in February.

PERS unfunded liability down $2 billion

The unfunded liability carried by the Public Employees Retirement System fund shrank by about $2 billion in 2012, according to early estimates based on the year’s 14 percent market earnings.

The unfunded liability has been estimated at $16 billion for the past year, mostly reflecting the losses from the 2008 market
crash when the fund lost $17 billion.

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PERS---OR Lawmakers Must Address PERS reform--Agenda 2013
PERS---Study shows advantages of 'defined benefit' pensions
PERS---issue heads back to Oregon Supreme Court
PERS---What is it?
PERS---executive director answers questions about possible reform
What is the PERS crisis?

PERS---Worse than Fuzzy Math: It’s Fictional

1/18/2013

PERS Worse than Fuzzy Math: It’s Fictional
I Spy can now be heard on two different stations at different times!

Listen on Saturday:
11:00 to noon (Pacific time) on KYKN (1430-AM) or, if you’re
outside of the Salem, OR, listening area, go to www.kykn.com and hit the "listen live" button.

Or on Sunday, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. (Pacific time) tune to KAJO (1270-AM) or if you’re outside of the Grants Pass, OR, listening area, go to www.kajo.com and hit the listen live button at the top of the page.

Our Guest: Daniel Re, Attorney and Jonathan Williams, Director of Tax and Fiscal Policy for ALEC
This week: If you’ve listened to the I Spy Radio Show, you probably already know that our host, Mark Anderson, has an MBA—that’s a masters in business administration—and that he’s also in the process of picking up his Doctorate in Business Administration. However, when it comes to PERS (Public Employee Retirement System), you don't need a doctor's degree to recognize when things seem a little fuzzy.

For example: unless you work for Congress, you intuitively know that completely fictional numbers with no basis in reality, when they're used in accounting, are bad. But what most people don't know is that this practice routinely occurs in government and that fictional numbers are what currently passes as "funding" for PERS. And not just here in Oregon but in states budgets across the United States.

Tune in to the I Spy Radio Show to hear just how bad off PERS really is — our guest Daniel Re will walk us through a chronology, step by awful step, of how it got this way. Then Jonathan Williams of ALEC tells us about the national situation and just how bad the situation really is but he also gives us solutions. Solutions that, if used, could bring a little reality to state budgets and put them on the track to recovery.

Have you heard our very popular “I Spy Minute,” aired weekdays at 10:00 a.m. during KYKN’s peak listenership? We’re looking for personal and corporate sponsorships to help keep these educational and informative minutes on the air. Are you a business owner (or know one) that would like “prime real estate” to
advertise? We have two :30 ad spots following the I Spy Minute available, but you need to contact karla@ispyonsalem.com or marcia@ispyonsalem.com to take advantage of these.

Saturday’s, 11:00 a.m. to noon, (Pacific time). Listen live on KYKN(1430-AM), or, if you’re outside of
the Salem listening area, just go to www.kykn.com and hit the listen live button.

Or Sunday’s, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. (Pacific time). Listen live on KAJO (1270-AM) or, if you’re outside of the
Grants Pass, OR listening area, go to www.kajo.com and hit the listen live button at the top of the page.

Busy on Saturday or Sunday? Not a problem. Monday, after the show airs, you can go to our webpage www.ispyradio.com and download it from our “past shows” page.

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PERS---OR Lawmakers Must Address PERS reform--Agenda 2013
PERS---Study shows advantages of 'defined benefit' pensions
PERS---issue heads back to Oregon Supreme Court
PERS---What is it?
PERS---executive director answers questions about possible reform
What is the PERS crisis?

PERS---OR Lawmakers Must Address PERS reform--Agenda 2013

1/7/2013

Hey Folks,

Here are two different stories, but each explains why people want to limit government, and more importantly, limit the overpaid people in the government. Once Administrators leave their positiion they have nothing, but time & knowhow to exploit the system. Rob T.

Oregon lawmakers must address PERS reform: Agenda 2013

Perhaps nothing the Legislature does this year will be more important, and more bitterly contested, than PERS reform. Lawsuits and political retribution followed the last reform effort, which took place a decade ago. But so did improvements, most notably the
creation of a less-generous third tier of benefits that now serves almost 44 percent of active PERS members.

Administrator earns more than $22,000 monthly

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon newspaper is reporting that a retired Portland city administrator made more than $22,000 a month last fall after being awarded no-bid contracts with the city and school district.
Officials say no one else offered Yvonne Deckard's expertise.
The Oregonian says the contracts didn't violate any policies.
The 58-year-old Deckard was earning the equivalent of $86 hourly when she retired in April as human resources director.

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PERS---Study shows advantages of 'defined benefit' pensions
PERS---issue heads back to Oregon Supreme Court
PERS---What is it?
PERS---executive director answers questions about possible reform
We most solve unsustainable increases to the cost of government
More on PERS.....
Wheeler, Cox differ on ways to deal with PERS
What is the PERS crisis?
EDITORIAL: A heavier PERS burden

PERS---Study shows advantages of 'defined benefit' pensions

12/25/2012

Hey Folks,
The following link is to a good article on the difference between “defined benefit” & a "defined contribution" health insurance plan. The article points out one of the most powerful incentives of a defined benefit plan, which is its guaranteed security this type of plan offers to the employee.
Rob T.

Hoffman: Study shows advantages of 'defined benefit' pensions
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20121224/COLUMN0105/312240022/1064

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We most solve unsustainable increases to the cost of government
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PERS---issue heads back to Oregon Supreme Court

12/21/2012

PERS issue heads back to Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon will get another chance to plead its case

Oregon will get another chance to argue it should recoup $10 million lost by the public-pension fund after it bought stocks from Marsh & McLennan, one of the largest providers of insurance and brokerage services.

The unanimous decision by the Oregon Supreme Court does not automatically result in damages awarded to the Oregon State Treasury, which oversees investments for the Public Employees Retirement Fund. The current
balance is about $56 billion.

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We most solve unsustainable increases to the cost of government
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PERS---What is it?

12/21/2012

PERS is the retirement system for approximately 95 percent of public service workers in Oregon including state, local government, and school district employees.

There are approximately 900 PERS employers, including all state agencies, universities, and community colleges; all school districts; and almost all cities, counties, and other local government units.

PERS serves approximately 346,000 members, including 113,000 retired members.

PERS was created by the legislature in 1945.

PERS At A Glance (overview of funded status, investment returns, employer contribution rates, system benefits,
etc.) (9/20/12)

PERS By The Numbers (detail regarding funded status, investment returns, employer contribution rates, system benefits, etc.) (12/4/12)

Benefit Component Comparisons

Employer Contribution Rates (for individual employers)

What are Employer Side Accounts?

PERS Reform of 2003

Benefit Caps and Reductions

Economic Benefit of PERS

Court Cases (Oregon Supreme Court, 2005-2011)

A-Z Quick Answers listings for Tier One/Tier Two and IAP (membership and retirement program info)

A-Z Quick Answers listings for OPSRP Pension Program and IAP (membership and retirement program info)

PERS History

Public Records Requests

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We most solve unsustainable increases to the cost of government
More on PERS.....
Wheeler, Cox differ on ways to deal with PERS
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James Dalton offers reforms for PERS.....
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PERS---executive director answers questions about possible reform

12/11/2012

Hoffman: PERS executive director answers questions about possible reform
(Statesman Journal)
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
PERS system is unfair and unconstitutional
(Statesman Journal)

PERS by the numbers: $24,000 is not an average
(Statesman Journal)

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We most solve unsustainable increases to the cost of government

11/23/2012

We most solve unsustainable increases to the cost of government
by In the news Friday, November 23. 2012
by Rep. Kevin Cameron (R-Salem)

This week we were presented with News that is not NEW. The 4th quarter revenue forecast for the state is similar to what most Oregon families and businesses have been seeing for the past few years: Flat
or declining income.

Personal income tax collections are down .5% or $7.5 million since the last forecast. Though employment has increased by 3,351 jobs over the past year, we are not experiencing enough job growth to help the 160,000
Oregonians who are unemployed.

We have about 7 months left in this 2 year budget cycle and because of a large ending fund balance it looks today like we will not see further cuts to services.

The longer term forecast indicates we will see $16.528 billion in revenue for the 2013/2015 biennium begging July 2013, a 10% increase compared to this current biennium.

Most of us would be very pleased to see a 10% increase in our personal income or business revenue over the past two years, but state government continues to face unique challenges that will eat up most, if not
all, of that increase in revenue.

This next biennium will see an increase of $1.1 billion in the additional funding out of government payrolls to keep up with the shortfall in retirement accounts, much of that impacting local governments and school
districts.

Overall, the PERS system has a shortfall of over $16 billion or $10,000 for every Oregon taxpayer. In our school system, increasing personnel costs amount to $1,000 per student.

Salem Keizer School District will need an additional $17 million for its PERS obligations beginning next July, equivalent to over 170 positions, meaning layoffs and larger classrooms from the current staffing
levels. The City of Salem says it will cost $1.1 million to keep a fire station open, but its increase in PERS will be over $5 million.

That’s right. A 10% increase in state revenue and more local layoffs in our schools! And potential fire station
closures? We must find solutions to correct the unsustainable increasing cost of the services our citizens deserve. Doing nothing in the 2013 session means that pension costs will consume $1 billion from public-sector budgets. This is not an attack on public servants, but a challenge that will require common sense solutions.

p.s. An article in the Statesman Journal - Employers brace for higher PERS Rates - from earlier this fall talks about this situation in more detail.

Related Post:
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Reedsport Measure 10-119 & Ode to Don‏ McIntire
EDITORIAL: A heavier PERS burden
Public employee benefits add up to more than twice salary costs
Counties, cities hit in rebate debate
Oregon's economy concerns leaders
Economic stability of Oregon families sinks to bottom 10 nationally
Ron Paul on Congress voting overwhelmingly to audit the Federal Reserve
SOS OR Counties 2012 Financial Condidtion Review 2012-17
The Recesion Has Not Ended for Private Sector Employment

More on PERS.....

11/18/2012

Hey Folks,

Here are a few more stories on the PERS program. It has been recommended to love the sinner, and hate the sin. Well, I do not begrudge anyone who is on PERS, they have every right to be part of the system. It is the System that is the problem and that is where my complaints start. Rob T......

Oregon PERS reform: When even solutions are problems - time for the democrats to step up and do their job

PERS: Money match pension formula benefited retirees,

PERS:must pass legal and political hurdles - and a $16 billion unfunded liability.

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Wheeler, Cox differ on ways to deal with PERS

10/30/2012

Wheeler, Cox differ on ways to deal with PERS
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20121029/NEWS/310290015/1001?nclick_check=1

As the state’s chief investment officer, the treasurer is one of five members of the Oregon Investment Council, which oversees investments made by state officers and private-sector managers. The total portfolio is $72 billion, the largest chunk of which is $58 billion in the Public Employees Retirement System.

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What is the PERS crisis?

10/9/2012

What is the PERS crisis?
by In the news Tuesday, October 9. 2012
by Dan Lucas
Oregon PERS Crisis 101 – Part 1:
What is the PERS crisis?
Read more.....

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EDITORIAL: A heavier PERS burden

10/8/2012

EDITORIAL: A heavier PERS burden
Higher pension contributions will slam local budgets
"The growing governmental budget crises we’ve been hearing and reading about since the Great Recession hit five years ago just got worse. The Oregon Public Employees Retirement System Board, meeting Sept. 28, announced new employer contribution rates for the 2013-15 biennium, and some of the increases are
staggering. Overall, PERS rates will go up 45 percent, costing public employers — the state, cities, counties, schools, utilities and special districts such as fire protection and libraries — an extra $900 million over the two-year period."
Read More....

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James Dalton offers reforms for PERS.....

10/7/2012

Upon leaving Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System Board, James Dalton offers reforms
"James Dalton left the Sept. 28 board meeting of Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System toting a Pendleton car blanket emblazoned with the State of Oregon seal, a token gift for his nine years service on the obscure but powerful body that oversees the state pension system. "

Read more......
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/james_dalton_outgoing_head_of.html

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10/7/2012

Welcome to UPDATE!

Round One...

One-click videos...
No contest. Romney won the first debate. But, for what it's worth, Obama took first place in the "uh" contest. Thanks to The Blaze, we invite you to go here for a compilation of "uhs".

We have heard it all before. The promises in 2008 repeated in 2012.Click here to watch Mr. Obama recycle words.

"Voices without a vote..." captures some smart kids who get it.

Go here to see how they would vote, if they could.
If you enjoy the annual Brookings Kite Festival, you will like this one-man show.
Go here for the fun of it.

The British Broadcasting folks have an interactive test of reflexes. Just throw darts at some sheep.
Click here to take the test.
Good grief.

Please forward this issue to a friend.

Thank you!
New on www.Brookingstea.com
Go to Brookingstea.com for these new posts...

First, we reviewed dozens of articles regarding the first Romney vs. Obama debate. One, by Peggy Noonan writing in The Wall Street Journal, is far better than most. Read it today.

Next, in July 2013, Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) will begin sucking about
$2 billion more from state, county and local budgets. Thanks to increases in employer contributions beginning next July (for FY 2013 to 2015), that's somewhere around $2,000,000,000 statewide that will not be spent on essential government services. This is IN ADDITION TO A BILLION DOLLAR INCREASE in the current biennium. Read some of the details we posted in two new articles.

Then, as usual, you should take a break with some new humor, including Abbott & Costello on the unemployment rate.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, we posted an incorrect article about President Obama's Executive Orders. We
apologize! It will be put in the trash bin in a day or so.

Short Takes News Flash! Energizer Bunny arrested, charged with battery.

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the
wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."

Dave Barry
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

This morning a coalition of Muslim leaders warned the United States that if military action against Muslim countries continues, they intend to cut off America's supply of 7-11 and Motel 6 managers!
If this action does not yield sufficient results, cab drivers will be next, followed by Dell, AT&T and AOL customer service reps. Finally, if all else fails, they have threatened not to send us any more presidents
either.

If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.

What's Next?

Karla Kay Edwards, The Oregon State Director with Americans for Prosperity (AFP), will join us for what promises to be an exceptional presentation.   Mark your calendar:  Saturday, October 20th at 2:00 PM at
the Best Western Beachfront Inn.

Bring a friend or neighbor. Better yet, bring both!
Thanks for reading. Comments and suggestions are welcomed!
Sincerely,

The Brookings Harbor Tea Party
To contact us, mail the Brookingstea Editor: clydeburke@brookingstea.com

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Candidate Tom Cox leads on PERS

10/4/2012

Tom Cox leads on PERS
by In the news Thursday, October 4. 2012
by Eric Shierman
"A remarkable amount of Oregon pundits and policymakers were caught off guard by the devastating announcement by the PERS board of a whopping 45% increase in state and local government employers’ required contribution to PERS to maintain promised benefits. Heads got scratched, wondering what the supposed 2003 reforms had actually accomplished, given the fact so many people thought the fiscal time bomb had been defused. Not Tom Cox, the Republican nominee for Oregon State Treasurer who has proactively made comprehensive PERS reform the centerpiece of his campaign when many thought the issue too esoteric for voters, too complicated for today’s political dialogue, and too controversial for a blue state like Oregon."
Read more.....

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