Pep Talk for Pension Reform Viable, sensible, lasting solutions will require more efforts.

Last month, three key episodes in the multi-year pension reform debates were front and center.

First, a capital-markets analysis from the well-respected Barclays Capital research department. Barclays reported that the world is not ending and that public pension obligations — albeit under stress — are manageable in most states. Second, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) held its annual national conference with prime-time sessions devoted to "dispelling myths about pensions" and properly chided the idea that we are at risk for an apocalyptic meltdown of the municipal bond market. Third, in the course of GFOA's pension presentations, the association approved the most informative "best practices" document yet produced by anybody — right, left or center.

The coincidental timing of these three events had the feel of a centrist pep rally at halftime in a scrappy football game. That should send us to the locker room to reflect on the progress made so far in resolving the serious funding problems facing public retirement systems.

To read the complete article from Governing Magazine, click here to read.