Public pension defenders make naughty list a who’s who of conservative organizations
Just in time for the holidays, the National Conference of Public Employees Retirement Systems has released its “naughty” list of organizations who are highlighting the problems that public employee pensions are causing for state governments and taxpayers.
The non-profit trade association released a list of 28 think tanks, foundations and other nonprofit groups it claims take “biased and unreasonable positions that undercut the interests of public pension plan participants and beneficiaries.”
Given that NCPERS manages $3.7 trillion in pension assets for some 21 million public employees and retirees (such as teachers, firefighters and law enforcement) it is no surprise it takes issue with those who publish studies on how unfunded liabilities exacerbate problems facing cash-strapped cities and states.
NCPERS executive director Hank Kim said in a statement the list is intended as an aid to transparency.
“Pension funds are naturally leery of paying fees to service providers that support organizations that intentionally undermine public pensions, and can use our list to identify potential conflicts,” Kim said.
The wide-ranging list includes national free-market think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute, Reason Foundation and R Street Institute as well as the left-leaning Brookings Institution and Urban Institute. Several state-level think tanks made the cut, as well, including the California Policy Center, Wyoming Liberty Group and Michigan-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
