Moody’s: Legal Hurdles to Reform, History of Shorting Annual Contributions Contribute to Texas’ Rising Pension Costs

Texas

A new Moody’s report says that Texas and its municipalities will face rising pension costs in coming years. The report also notes that local governments may not be able to ease those costs as legal hurdles prevent significant pension reforms.

On the state level, the costs come in the form of higher contributions – at least one state-level system is requesting the state contribute more money starting in fiscal year 2016-17.

From Moody’s:

The State of Texas (Aaa stable) and some of its local governments face rising pensions costs due to a history of contributions below actuarial requirements, Moody’s Investors Service says in a new report, “Cost Deferrals Drive Rising Pension Challenges for Texas and Some Locals.”

While the state has a broad ability to tackle pension funding challenges, many local government pension plans are subject to state constitutional protection.

“Most Texas local governments face greater legal constraints and procedural hurdles to pension reform, while the state has substantially more legal flexibility to change and adjust benefits to its plans,” said the report’s author and Moody’s Assistant Vice President — Analyst, Thomas Aaron.

Texas participates in four single-employer plans, with the majority of costs associated with the Employee Retirement System (ERS), and the Teachers Retirement System (TRS). In order to address an ongoing funding challenge, the ERS requested a 59% increase in the state’s contribution rate for the fiscal 2016-17 biennium for that system alone, a cost increase of nearly $540 million across all of the state’s funds.

The full report can be read here [subscription required].

Moody’s: Public Pension Liabilities Declined in Majority of States in 2013

United States map

States paid more of their actuarially required contributions to their pension systems in 2013; coupled with “strong” investment performance, 27 states saw their pension liabilities decline in fiscal year 2013, according to a new Moody’s report.

From Pensions & Investments:

In a report released Thursday, “U.S. State Pension Medians for FY 2013,” Moody’s found that pension liabilities declined in 27 states, while 21 states with lagging valuations had an average increase of 38.9%. “We believe that states should continue to show improvement in their liabilities in fiscal 2014 due to continued strong investment performance,” Moody’s said in a statement.

The median annualized returns for the period ended June 30, 2014, was 16.1%.

In measuring actuarially determined contribution levels, Moody’s found that 34 states contributed 90% or higher in fiscal 2013 and 12 contributed between 60% and 90%, while only four states contributed less. New Jersey was the lowest at only 29% of actuarial determined contributions.

In terms of pension liability as a proportion of government revenue, the median ratio dropped to 60.3% from 63.9% in fiscal 2013, but 14 states were more than 100%. The highest ratios of pension liability to revenue were in Illinois (268.3%), Connecticut (236%), Kentucky (193.2%) and New Jersey (179.7%).

States with the lowest liabilities-to-revenue ratio included Nebraska (12.6%), Wisconsin (13.8%), Tennessee (20.9%) and New York (24.2%).

The report can be read here [subscription required].