Public Sector Pensions | Reseach

Delaware's Public Employees' Retirement System: A Complete and Transparent Accounting

Eileen Norcross | Feb 05, 2013
The sustainability of public sector pension plans is an issue of great fiscal concern for state and local governments in the United States. According to government reports, state public sector pension plans confront a total unfunded liability of $842 billion. Underfunding of this magnitude presents a serious fiscal problem for individual governments and will require a growing amount of budgetary resources to fund benefit promises to retired workers.

The Fiscal Health of the States

Jeffrey Miron, Robert Sarvis | Feb 13, 2012
This paper examines the fiscal health of the states, focusing on two worrisome characteristics: an understatement of unfunded pension liabilities and ever-increasing expenditures, driven primarily by health care costs.

Rhode Island's Local Pension Debts

Eileen Norcross, Benjamin J. VanMetre | Nov 08, 2011
This working paper shows how Rhode Island’s state and municipal pension systems face large and growing unfunded pension liabilities and provides recommendations for reform.

Accounting for the Cost of a Public Sector Worker in New Jersey

Eileen Norcross, Roman Hardgrave | Sep 28, 2011
This study focuses on public sector benefits costs in the state of New Jersey. Along with several other states, New Jersey’s pension system is badly underfunded and health care and other benefits for public sector workers are entirely unfunded.

From Defined Benefit to Defined Contribution

Scott Beaulier | Sep 26, 2011
This paper explores the current state of public pensions across the United States and addresses transition cost and capital flight concerns.

The Fiscal Health of U.S. States

Jeffrey Miron | Aug 15, 2011
This paper examines the fiscal health of the U.S. states by taking a look at state and local debt, including unfunded pension liabilities.

Public Sector Unionism: A Review

Eileen Norcross | May 18, 2011
This paper by Eileen Norcross reviews the origins, goals, and fiscal effects of public sector unionism.

The "Other" Pension Crisis

Options for Avoiding a Taxpayer Bailout of the PBGC
Charles Blahous | Mar 07, 2011
This paper outlines a framework to resolve the financing shortfall in the pension insurance system.

Eleven Ideas for State Legislatures in 2011

Daniel M. Rothschild | Jan 18, 2011
This Mercatus on Policy paper shares eleven bold reform ideas that could help states balance their 2012 budgets and avoid boom-and-bust budgeting cycles in the future.

Maryland's Fiscal Slide

Published in
The Maryland Journal
Eileen Norcross | Jan 13, 2011
Fiscal Year 2011 marks Maryland's third year of recession and fifth year of structural deficits. This article highlights how Maryland started on this path of fiscal instability and what the future holds if this trajectory continues.