Thinking Outside the Box A panel discussion about Arizona’s Public Safety Personnel Retirement System

Disregarding historical experience, should the cost of benefits (i.e., contribution rates) be split equally between employees and employers?

Are the requirements that an employee must be full-time and “regularly assigned to hazardous duty” appropriate?

Why is the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) so important?

Do you believe the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) is beneficial or harmful to employers?

Explain the value or detriment of the Return to Work program, under which a retiree may keep their pension and resume employment in a public safety job.

Does the ability of a retiree to return to work contradict the argument that public safety employees need a younger retirement age due to the rigors of the job?

Should the normal retirement age be adjusted from the “20 (or 25) and out” to something in which the retiree’s age is a factor?

Should post-retirement increases be:  pre-funded (included in the contribution rate)?  pay-as-you-go (e.g., tied to investment earnings)?  ad hoc (granted as determined by the Legislature or the Board)?

Is a Defined Benefit Plan the right model for public employees, specifically public safety employees?

If Arizona were to repeal Article 29 of the Arizona Constitution, would that be sufficient for the Legislature to decrease or diminish benefits for current employees and retirees?

Some employers purposely hire tenured Public Safety employees from other employers, and are then responsible for the employee’s entire retirement liability. Should the System look into apportioning the liability based on the time spent at each employer?

Should the Legislature consider abandoning the multiple Local Board system in which each employer has their own separate plan under the PSPRS umbrella in favor of a single, aggregated plan?

Should the State consolidate all four statewide public pensions (ASRS, CORP, EORP, and PSPRS) under one administrative board and agency?

If you were to design a new public safety retirement plan, what would it look like?

Audience Participation Time: Do you need more follow-up on an issue or response? Do you have any other questions?