Opinion: Politicians, Pension Boards Caused Rising Costs

In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, David Crane -- president of Govern for California and a pension reform advocate -- argues that the reason "cities and states are being hit hard by fast-rising pension and retirement health care costs for public employees" is that "politicians and pension fund boards ... made retirement promises without setting aside sufficient funding to meet those promises." He writes that residents can help curb rising pension costs "by requiring voter approval of retirement promises and populating pension fund boards with citizen-interested rather than self-interested members."

• "Viewpoints: Pension Problems Not the Fault of Employees" (Crane, Sacramento Bee, 9/15).