Retirement insights from a Colorado PERA perspective

Legislation & Governance

Colorado PERA Board of Trustees

A view of empty chairs in the Colorado PERA Board Room.

The Board of Trustees of Colorado PERA is a group of 16 professionals who are responsible for overseeing PERA’s investment program and the administration of PERA’s benefits. The Colorado General Assembly, with the approval of the Governor, can change PERA benefits or contributions.

State law describes the responsibilities of the Board and the process for Trustees to be selected.

Three Trustees are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate, 12 are elected by PERA members and retirees, and the State Treasurer serves as an ex officio Trustee.

Each May, Colorado PERA holds an election for Trustees whose terms of office are expiring. Candidacy packets are available beginning in January.

Details on current Trustees may be viewed here.

PERA Board of Trustees

 

PERA Board Duties

Comments

  1. Mickie Knowles says:

    I am a 20 year school bus driver, currently in Brighton 27J. I appreciate being able to be a part of PERA & what it will do for me the the near future.
    However, you are asking people to come forward to be on the board. Great.
    I would say obviously we need a New Board BADLY.
    I know little of such things, but really, we have to have a CEO that makes a ZILLION DOLLAR INCOME?????? & of course, a LITTLE 6 DIGET BONUS!!!
    Just like any other politician–give yourself a raise & give the boss, extra as well.
    Thieves, is what you are!
    If the American people are smart they will start hiding dimes in tin cans under the bed for their retirement money!
    I have paid into Social Security, PERA, 401K’s, Etc. all my working life & I know that I would sincerely have more money to look forward to if I had a dime under my bed for every dollar I put into those “accounts”.
    Yes, I will get a “retirement” check & I will live on it, as it is,
    but it is not something I would recommend to my children or grandchildren.
    And I feel like that is because of CEO’s & Boards like this one!!!

    • Lynn LARSON says:

      Wow Mickey,
      I am sorry you feel this way however I earnestly believe Pera staff (all be it well-paid and rightfully so), and the board has acted well on our behalf and provided a good retirement for Pera members. Unlike newspaper reporters and politicians I believe in looking at the glass half full where they say there is a 40% chance PERA will not be fully funded in the future; seems to me their statement indicates a 60% chance that we will be fully funded in the future!
      It also seems to me there was a time in the 70’s, 80’s or early 90’s that we were fully funded and the politicians stepped in with changes followed by a down Market that somewhat put us in the situation that we’re in today. I would like to see PERA historical data to either substantiate that claim one way or the other to ease my mind.
      I can only say that a worker is worth his worth if he provides and does his job.
      Pera staff seems to be doing just that and I believe their formula for fully funding our retirements is accurate in fact a little bit pessimistic at less than 8% return on the Investments.
      I thank God for PERA.

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