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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 7033RESOLUTION NO. 7033 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA SUPPORTING AN INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE INVESTMENT POLICIES OF THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE RATE OF RETURN WHEREAS, the California Public Employees Retirement System membership, as of June 30, 1980, included 357,157 members who are employed by local public agencies; and WHEREAS, the City of Daly City sent a letter to the PERS Board of Administration in April, 1980, encouraging a change in investment policies in order to take advantage of short-term investment opportunities, such as federal treasury bills, which are guaranteed by the federal government; and WHEREAS, as of this date, no action has been taken by the PERS Board of Administration to indicate that a change in investment policies is imminent; and WHEREAS, short-term investment vehicles continue to pay high interest rates, as they have for the past 30 months, with PERS failing to capitalize on these investment opportunities; and WHEREAS, the 1980 Annual Financial Report and Report of Operations, issued by the Public Employees Retirement System of the State of California for the fiscal period ended June 30, 1980, has revealed that the "Computed Rate of Return" on the entire $12.85 billion investment portfolio was 7.91%; and WHEREAS, the rate of inflation, as determined by the state composite California Consumer Price Index, as computed by the California State Industrial Relations Board, for the same 12 -month period was 17.57 for all urban wage earners, and the interest crediting rate which member employers and employees were granted on their accumulated retirement earnings for the year ending June 30, 1980, was only 6%; and WHEREAS, the "Statement of Investment Objectives and Policy" of the California Public Employees Retirement System contains a section entitled, "Investment Objectives", which states the following: "1) to increase asset coverage of actuarial liabilities; 2) to maintain real dollar value of the assets (provide inflation coverage); and 3) to stablize current employer contribution rates." WHEREAS, current PERS investment policies appear too rigid and unable to respond in a timely manner with a flexible and aggressive investment policy which can capitalize on rapidly changing money market investment opportunities; and WHEREAS, PERS' actuaries have estimated that a 1% increase in the PERS' Computed Rate of Return on its investment portfolio would probably offset a 13% increase in costs to PERS Retirement System employers in California; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Azusa that it hereby expresses its support and concurs in adoption of the Resolution adopted by the City of Daly City, wherein: 1. The California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) is not currently meeting the 2nd and 3rd objectives of its stated, "Investment Objectives", which it has officially adopted as policy guidelines for the retirement system investment program; 2. While it is recognized that the PERS Board of Administra- tion has managed its investment portfolio in a prudent and effective manner in the past, that the League of California Cities take appropriate action to influence the PERS Board of Administration to change its investment strategy so that a significantly higher percentage of new revenue could be placed in Federal T -Bills, Certificates of Deposit, Bankers Acceptance and other performance investment vehicles with high yield when market conditions so justify, in a concerted effort to maximize earnings from investments; 3. Encouragement be given to PERS member cities, member counties, individual members and public agency employee organizations to write letters to the PERS Board of Administration and to personally appear before the Board to demonstrate wide public agency and employee organization support for a full review of and change, as appropriate, of current investment policies; 4. The effort to maximize interest earnings from the PERS investment portfolio will directly benefit PERS member cities and individual members of the California Public Employees Retirement System and, in so doing, will reduce the need for employer rate increases which would be funded from tax revenues. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this 17th day of August, 1981. MAYOR I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Azusa at a regular meeting thereof held on the 17th day of August, 1981, by the following vote of Council: AYES: COUNCILMEN: Decker, Cruz, Moses, Solem NOES: COUNCILMEN: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEN: Fry , � L &' //. �� CITY CLERK -2-