Pension Rate Stabilization

The Pleasanton City Council signed off on investing $28 million in a trust account to help raise additional funds to offset rising employee pension costs, a move city leaders see as leaving Pleasanton better positioned for the years and decades down the line when higher pension bills come due. With the trust administered by PARS, city officials hope to have their investment turn into $43.9 million after 10 years -- money that would be available to soften the annual budget impacts of higher pension payments.

At the July 11 Camarillo City Council meeting the council voted unanimously to take $5 million out of the city’s general fund and place it in a Pension Rate Stabilization Program trust managed by PARS. The city’s stated goal is to pay down its $30 million in unfunded liability debt over a period of 20 years.

Based on recent CalPERS policy decisions, cities throughout the State are grappling with how to fund pension contributions that were to be covered by CalPERS investment earnings. To help cover those increased costs and maintain more control over City investments, Council authorized participation in the PARS PRSP.

To combat the unfunded pension liability, the Escondido City Council approved a Section 115 Irrevocable Pension Trust, along with pension funding options and a policy on the use of one-time money. An initial deposit from the Reserve for PERS Rate Smoothing is required to fund the program. Escondido follows in the footsteps of 128 other public agencies in implementing the PARS Pension Rate Stabilization Program.

Does the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) Board have the authority to make rate adjustments after the last statutory increase is implemented in 2020-21?