The most recent actuarial report was just released regarding the Houston Police Officers Pension System and the results of that report has caused some real anguish and twisting with the uncertainty of what it all means.

The most recent actuarial report was just released regarding the Houston Police Officers Pension System and the results of that report has caused some real anguish and twisting with the uncertainty of what it all means.

There is plenty of blame to go as to what produced this projected $800 million under-funded liability. Years of under-funding by the city, along with poor decisions by past administrations and pension trustees and their employees in terms of benefit increases (who should and who should not have received them) and the ability of the pension system to absorb the cost of those increases, along with poor projections and analysis by previous actuarial studies, in addition to an unstable market, have all contributed to the problem at hand.

I was not necessarily very uplifted with Mayor White’s proposal for his view of pension problem solutions. There may very well have to be some tweaking and adjustments, but those are issues that need to be hammered out in a negotiating environment and not on the front page of the Houston Chronicle.

At the same time I can’t blame Mayor White in his willingness to address and attack problems rather than sweeping them under a rug, but he must remember that this is not the private sector and this is not his personal business where he has the ability to do as he pleases. Unfortunately it appears that today’s active officer may very well have to carry the burden of those mistakes and poor decisions unless we can come up with some equitable compromise that is fair for all of us still here, while at the same time ensuring that our pension system remains solvent. There are other pension issues that we are also concerned with, but let me assure you that the line gets drawn when the discussion turns towards raising the retirement from 20 to 25 years. We will never bow to that demand.

We will soon know the results of the May 15^th pension Opt Out election. However no matter the outcome, city employees and Houston police officers will be impacted. It is imperative that we have and maintain an open door of communication with this administration in order to ensure that changes (which appear to be inevitable), whether in the pension arena or in some other form or manner, impact us in the least painful manner as possible.

It is also imperative that you contact your HPOPS representative since they are the only ones that can negotiate pension issues. We, as the HPOU can certainly influence both parties to a degree, but the administration and the pension trustees are the final and binding authority. In the meantime we will work with HPOPS trustees and do whatever is necessary to assist in keeping us whole.

Hans Marticiuc, President

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