The PERS unfunded mandate issue was created by the public employers...not the public employees.  When, during the years of hyper-inflation, employees agreed to the "PERS pick-up" instead of the applicable COLAs, the employers chose to pay the employee accounts at the time of retirement and not to "double" their PERS contributions each month and "keep up" by so doing.   By doing so, they created a growing deficit.  Had they funded immediately there would have NO money needed at the time of an individual's retirement...it would have already been in the account and "growing" along with the other half.  Instead, the amount due at retirement reflects the growth in the individual's account...only half of which is really there.  That matching amount has to be funded at retirement by contract.  This was a massive mistake.....but, it was the legislature and the public employers who made it....not the public employees.  Gary Crum