Pension Security

Issues Update

California Retirement Dialogue
March 1, 2010
The California Retirement Dialogue is a series of issue forums and Web conferences hosted by CalPERS to promote greater understanding of public pension issues.

Issue Forums
On January 29 and February 12 CalPERS hosted one-day discussions where local, state, and national retirement experts examined the current state of California’s public pension plans and analyzed emerging ideas for ensuring future retirement security.

View a series of documents which provides detailed background information on topics related to the emerging public discussion of retirement issues and CalPERS pension benefits. View and download the documents.

January 29 Sacramento Forum videos are available for viewing online:

• Welcome and Introductory Remarks
  • Anne Stausboll, Chief Executive Officer, CalPERS
  • Rob Feckner, President, CalPERS Board of Administration
  • Ken Marzion, CalPERS Executive and Event Emcee

• Panel 1: Getting the Conversation Started: How Did We Get Here, Where Are We Headed?
  • Moderator: Amy Brown
  • Panelists: Cora Okumura, Gerri Madrid-Davis, Tony Oliveira

• Panel 2: Sustainable Pension Principles
  • Moderator: Richard Stensrud
  • Panelists: Christy Bouma, Dwight Stenbakken, Norman Stein, Harvey Robinson

• Panel 3: Retirement Benefit Changes – Are They Needed?
  • Moderator: Robert Walton
  • Panelists: Ron Cottingham, Gary Pokorny, David Crane, David Low

• Panel 4: Formulating Formulas
  • Moderator: David Felderstein
  • Panelists: Robert Palmer, John Hamm, Ann Craig, Scott Adams

• Closing Remarks
  • Ken Marzion, CalPERS Executive and Event Emcee

Web Conferences
CalPERS is hosting a series of Web conferences on public pension issues. Each Web conference features a CalPERS expert making an informative and insightful presentation on a somewhat technical public pension topic.

• Future Investment Landscape
  On December 16, 2009, CalPERS Chief Investment Officer Joe Dear talked about CalPERS investment strategy, our investment objectives, and our future investment outlook.
  • View the December 16, 2009, Web conference archive
  • Download the presentation slides from December 16, 2009, Web conference
  • Download the December 16, 2009, Web conference transcript


• Employer Rate Smoothing
  On January 7, 2009, CalPERS Deputy Chief Actuary Alan Milligan presented a Web conference on how CalPERS sets employer contribution rates, explaining the concept of “rate smoothing.” A video archive of the Web conference will be available on this page shortly. The presentation slides from the Web conference are available for download below.
  • View the January 7, 2010, Web conference archive
  • Download the presentation slides from the January 7, 2010, Web conference
  • Download the January 7, 2010, Web conference transcript

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