Fifth district Supervisor Michael Antonovich is calling for an independent analysis of the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) and the Retiree Insurance Benefit Program.

At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting the County Auditor-Controller will be asked to hire an independent firm which specializes in actuarial studies to offer an opinion and analysis on the accounting and actuarial methodologies of both programs.

They will be expected to report back in 30 days.

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The firm will also be asked to calculate the present value of the Retiree Insurance Benefit Program and the “underfunded” LACERA pension fund and to “…include an analysis of the advice and recommendations that each funds’ actuaries and accounting firms have offered to respective staff and confirmation that such sound advice is being followed by all responsible parties.”

Around the state there has been public outcry over government pensions and their effect on local budgets. LACERA has been noticeably silent, especially to requests by major news organizations like the Los Angeles Times to make their files public.

The Sacramento Bee and the First Amendment Coalition filed a petition for writ of mandate to compel the Sacramento County Employees Retirement System to reveal the pension benefits of named retirees.

Lawyers for the Bee and the FAC argued the public has a right to know the identity of people receiving pension benefits so that it can monitor the spending of public money.

A ruling this year by the 3^rd District Court of Appeals supported the Bee’s request and ordered the Sacramento County pension system to release the information.

On the heels of the appeals ruling, the Ventura County Star reported 300 Ventura County government retirees with six-figure pensions will be released to the public.

The Ventura County Taxpayers Association, attempting to uncover abuses in the system, sued the county’s retirement board after they refused to release the identities of retirees drawing pensions exceeding $100,000 a year.

The retirement board agreed to follow the 3^rd District Court ruling.

According to Tony Bell, Communications Deputy for Antonovich, the Supervisor believes LACERA should disclose the pension information since there is court precedent.

Even though the Supervisors appoint four out of nine members to the board, Bell says LACERA is an independent body.