04/18/2024

Daniel Borenstein: CalPERS’ Protracted Plan for Reducing Investment Risk Leaves Pension System Vulnerable

CalPERS officials know they have a serious problem: The nation’s largest pension system holds too many risky investments to adequately withstand the next big economic downturn.

Yet the only proposal under consideration to shore up the system would take decades to properly rebalance CalPERS’ portfolio. If the next major recession comes before that, the retirement system will have to sock state and local governments with devastating rate increases at a time when they can least afford it.

Earlier this year, the board rejected an option for systematically addressing the problem, focusing instead on two more protracted alternatives. In August, they cut the options to one. Details of that inadequate plan will be discussed by the board on Tuesday.

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