Resources

The Impact of Public Pensions on State and Local Budgets

Author: 
Alicia H. Munnell, Jean-Pierre Aubry, and Laura Quinby
Publication Date: 
October 2010

Currently, state and local pension contributions equal 3.8 percent of total budgets. To get back on a path to full funding, sponsors will need to contribute:

  • 5.0 percent of budgets if liabilities are discounted by 8 percent; or
  • 9.1 percent of budgets if liabilities are discounted at 5 percent.

But states with seriously underfunded plans and/or generous benefits – like CA, IL, and NJ – will need to contribute significantly more.