fedgazette May 2006 | The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Local and state public pensions are trying to get traction on a slippery funding slope.

Actuarial Funding Ratios
Charts of public employee pension funds.
An actuarial balancing act
Debates over public pensions can quickly plunge into the pool of minutiae and tediousness.
In case of pension emergency
Legislatures nationwide will no doubt be debating what to do about public pensions with large unfunded liabilities. Below are two options getting considerable attention.
Covet thy neighbor’s -- pension? Public vs. private
A discussion of public pensions can’t go on for very long without someone comparing them to their private counterparts. Comparisons are logical, of course, but not quite as straightforward as it might seem.
And how about your pension, sir?
Federal Reserve System offers a pension that has feet in both the new and the old pension worlds.
Gasping over GASB
Post-retirement health benefits could bring a shock to governments, retirees.

Taking the shears to fuel costs
District businesses are turning to hedging as a way to cope with higher, more volatile energy prices.
Entrance exam
The number of international college students has dipped since 9/11, and universities face more than visa challenges in turning that around.
Driving for a license
Occupational licensing continues to grow, but benefits to consumers are not obvious.