In the News
Marysville Appeal-Democrat
Op-Ed: Just $25,000 a year for a lifetime of service
The average pension for a retired public employee in California is about $2,000 per month, or less than $25,000 per year. These public servants include cops, firefighters, teachers, engineers, scientists, and many others who serve you, the public. Less than $2,000 per month for a lifetime of public service isn't much to live on. Continue Reading »
OC Register
Reader Rebuttal: Outsourcing Engineers
In June, the governor's Department of Finance revealed in the state budget that Caltrans spends $103,000 annually for a state-employed engineer (including salary, benefits, overhead and equipment) and $232,000 a year for a private engineering consultant to perform the same work. These aren't numbers from interested advocates. They come straight from the sharp-pencil crowd in the Department of Finance. Continue Reading »
Sacramento Bee
Rob Feckner: The sky's not falling, and CalPERS is fine
While there has been much heated rhetoric recently about our public pensions, you should not believe everything you are told – because indeed the sky is not falling. Every financial institution faces challenges in the current economy. But as president of the largest of more than 80 California public pension systems, I want to cool down the debate and set the record straight. Continue Reading »
Sacramento Bee
Pension War of Words Heats Up
With literally billions of dollars at stake, Professional Engineers in California Government is reloading its campaign to maintain the public pension status quo with a new message, "Dispelling Myths About California's Public Pensions." Continue Reading »
Dispelling the Myths About California’s Public Pensions
Providing a pension of less than $2,000 per month for public employees who dedicate their lives and careers to public service could hardly be termed excessive by any reasonable person,” said Mark Sheahan, President of Professional Engineers in California Government, which represents 13,000 State-employed engineers and related professionals. Continue Reading »
PECG Launches Statewide Media Campaign
The Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) has launched a major statewide multimedia campaign intended to draw attention to the work of California’s public servants.
Capitol Weekly
Which is cheaper, contractors or state workers?
This is a key point of contention between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and some public employees unions. As the state struggles to cut costs, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 has been pushing the governor to cut millions from what they say is $34.7 billion in current contracts with outside vendors. Continue Reading »
KCRA 3 Reports
Videos
PECG: Private Contractors Drain State Cash
California wastes hundreds of millions of dollars each year by hiring private contractors to do state work, according to a KCRA 3 investigation. Continue Reading»
San Jose Mercury News
Opinion: Editorial's attack on state workers' pensions is way off base
Public servants are used to being attacked by those we serve — the public — and our bosses — the governor and our legislators. The July 7 Mercury News editorial "Pensions are the missing piece of budget reform" is yet another example. Continue Reading»
Sacramento Bee
J.J. Jelincic: For state pensions, Bee wants it both ways
At a time when state employees already are reeling from furloughs that will effectively cut their salaries by 15 percent, as well as hiring freezes and other uncertainties, leave it to The Bee to pile on its July 1 editorial "Pensions like it's 1999: Good start." Continue Reading»