Disclosing Pensions: Public Rights, Privacy, and Financial Fraud

There is no question that it makes for good headlines to declare who is making what dollar amount in pension payments. Certainly, watchdog groups have taken advantage of doing so, or conjectured pay-out amounts to stir controversy, like Taxpayers United likes to do at press conferences.

Their position is that any funding taxpayers support should be transparent. As Dr. Tony Fargo, Indiana University Associate Professor of Journalism, told a news investigation team:  “From a public access standpoint, anything that involves the use of public money and the word secret is problematic.”

Will Public Pensions Run Out of Money?

A recent issue brief published by the Center for Retirement Research (CRR) at Boston College, “How Would GASB Proposals Affect Public Pension Funding Levels?,” has created some stir – and is being cited – for its inclusion of the “run-out dates” for 126 public pension plans.

Differing Opinions on Whether State Pension Problems are a “Big Deal” – but Why Refuse to Engage?

On September 2, 2011, Josh Rauh of Northwestern University posted a blog entitled “Are State Pension Problems a ‘Big Deal’?” He states this question was asked by a colleague given that pension contributions account for 3.8% of state and local spending.