2019-172-Resolution No. 2019-022 Recorded 5/28/2019Recorded in Deschutes County CJ2019-172
Nancy Blankenship, County Clerk
Commissioners' Journal 05/28/2019 3:12:47 PM
OEs c
111!illiiinmimimiumii
BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON
A Resolution Urging the Oregon Legislature to
Enact Public Employee Retirement System
(PERS) Reforms that Reduce Pension Costs for
Public Employers and Taxpayers
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-022
WHEREAS, Oregon public employers, including Deschutes County are facing an estimated unfunded
actuarial liability (UAL) in the Oregon Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) pension program of
currently more than $26 billion, and employer payroll costs have risen from 12% of payroll in 2010 to 19% in
2020 and are expected to rise to more than 30% of payroll by 2025, in some jurisdictions of the state, if the
legislature fails to address reforms to the PERS pension program that will reduce system's claims on public
budgets, taxpayer resources and public services; and
WHEREAS, taxpayer annual costs are rising, from an estimated $600 per Oregon household in 2010 to
more than twice that amount currently — more $1,500 per household this year -- and climbing to an expected
more than $2,200 per year by 2023; and
WHEREAS, legal and fair options for reforming PERS pensions, including, but not limited to those
outlined by the PERS Solutions for Public Services coalition, would provide a path for lowering present and
future PERS costs for public employers and taxpayers across the state; and
WHEREAS, Deschutes County will benefit from participating with other public employers across the
state in advocating for significant PERS pension reforms at the Oregon legislature, now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES
COUNTY, OREGON, as follows:
Section 1. We believe that, while every public employer and taxpayer in Oregon is bearing the burden
of the PERS UAL in rapidly rising payroll costs, only the state legislature has the authority to reform PERS
pensions to reduce the system's costs to public employers and Oregon taxpayers; and
Section 2. We believe some of the principles outlined by PERS Solutions for Public Services meet the
objectives of Deschutes County, a bipartisan effort to find solutions that are fair for taxpayers, public employers
and public employees alike; and
Section 3. We believe that Deschutes County, its employees and its citizens will benefit from PERS
pension reforms, and relieving the PERS pension burden on Deschutes County budgets, including some of those
proposed by the Oregon legislature will allow Deschutes County to invest in continued public services for our
community, and that reforms should be done on a system -wide basis, so that all jurisdictions and the services
they provide share in the relief; and
Section 4. We believe the Oregon legislature has a responsibility to take steps necessary to reduce the
PERS claim on public services; such as police and fire, public health, higher education, child welfare, college
tuition, the justice system, and senior services; and furthermore that all public employers, not solely K-12
education, be included in reforms.
PAGE 1 OF 2 — RESOLUTION NO. 2019-022
Section 5. This resolution is effective immediately upon its adoption.
Dated this o
, 20 �1
PAGE 2 OF 2 — RESOLUTION NO. 2019-022
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF DESCHUTES COUNT,', OREGON
L
PHILIP G. H
DERSON, Chair
PATTI ADAIR, Vice Chair
ANTHONY DeBONE, Commissioner