I really don't think this writer or most people posting about PERS understand the true nature of the situation.  It is a binding contract for all beneficiaries and their employers.  Higher taxes may prevent service cuts but without increased revenue most agencies in contract with PERS will divert more and more of their already budgeted and allocated funds to meet their PERS obligations.  So what we can anticipate is an increasingly greater percentage of agency budgets going to PERS benefits and less and less available for services.  PERS obligations come first in government agency budget planning.  Accept that we will have declining levels of public service over the next thirty or forty years unless we become even more of a "tax hell" state than we already are.