1. Should CalPERS set up a trust fund for healthcare like we have for our retirment?
Changes to accounting standards will require the State to quantify unfunded healthcare liabilities for retirees of $40-70 billion presents not just a threat to our benefits but an opportunity. Just as 80-85% of our pension is paid by earnings from pension funds, a prefunded healthcare could lower our premiums and deductibles. How? The State can borrow $25-50 billion at 5% for 30-year tax-free revenue bonds and earn 9% per year in investment returns. The difference can be used to help fund for our healthcare on a prepaid basis.
2. Should CalPERS administer benefit programs, such as deferred compensation, dental, and vision, currently administered by the Department of Personnel Administration?
CalPERS administers deferred compensation plans for local government and school employees. The Board could administer our benefits as well. More than 10 years ago DPA demonstrated it couldn't be trusted when, at DPA's request, Delta Dental overcharged premiums for our dental plan by $40 million. CAPS, CASE and PECG sued DPA. The court found: "In effect, the state took money it owed its employees as compensation and transferred it to Delta Dental as premium copayment. Then Delta was obliged to transfer that money back to the state because it exceeded the actual costs of the dental plan. Thus, the state was able to get both the time value and control of the money it would otherwise have had to pay to its employees.” The Board should be working now with candidates for governor to move administration of our benefits to CalPERS.
3. Should CalPERS prohibit staff from using their official position to effect election results, institute instant run-off voting where we rank candidates to save up to $1 million for a second ballot, and stop requiring that members who sign nomination petitions must expose themselves to identity theft by disclosing their Social Security Numbers?
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Contact: 
jm@perswatch.net