continued:  dislosure:  Yes, I receive a PERS check each month.....it's not very large, but I'm happy to get it, as are, I'm sure,other retired public employees.

The system, as I mentioned, is structured to create "future debt"....that unfunded mandate issue.  It's rather like deficit spending, whose ever-increasing interest debt service grows to be an increasing portion of income.  Many of us are old enough to remember the early Steve McQueen movie "The Blob"....a creature which devoured everyone it touched and just kept growing bigger and bigger.  Indeed, PERS is the "Blob" and it devouring an ever-increasing portion of Oregon's budget.  For those with knowledge of military acronyms, I think FUBAR might be appropriate.....