Editorial: Housing affordability another issue in pension debate
Part of the drive for higher and higher public benefits stems from the fact that housing affordability in our coastal zones is a chronic problem.
Op/ed: Pension investments are fundamentally sound
Pensions are a vital part of compensation and serve as an asset to local governments.
Op/ed: Ventura County pension proposal is about retirement plan fairness
The big fact that public employee unions don’t mention when they tout the safety of pensions is that when the pension fund loses money, you — the taxpayers — have to make up the difference.
Ratings agencies unfazed as county pension costs rise
Despite dire warnings that future pension costs could cause a fiscal meltdown for tri-county governments, credit ratings for Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo county bonds remain mostly unaffected by looming gaps in their retirement obligation funding.
Standard & Poor’s, a leading rating agency, ranks all three counties near the top of a scale that spans from its highest AAA to C, the lowest rating a bond can have without defaulting. Santa Barbara County carries the agency’s second highest AA-plus designation. Ventura County is assigned a slightly lower AA-rating this year and SLO County is ranked AA-minus.
Editorial: Retired sheriff should consider public perception
He will have a lot more success settling with the county or dropping his complaint.
Letter: Sheriff’s decision to sue reflects poor judgement
The article headlined “Ex VC sheriff sues for supplemental pension” in your Oct. 18 issue got my blood boiling, as I am sure it did with many of your readers.
