Zachary Christensen
Managing Director, Pension Integrity Project, Reason Foundation
Zachary Christensen is a managing director of Reason Foundation's Pension Integrity Project.
Christensen’s work with Reason's Pension Integrity Project aims to promote solvent, sustainable retirement systems that provide retirement security for government workers while reducing long-term costs for taxpayers and employees. Zachary and his team provide education, reform policy options, and actuarial analysis for policymakers and stakeholders to help them design practical and viable reform proposals.
The Pension Integrity Project has provided technical assistance to several successful pension reform efforts in recent years, including in Michigan, Colorado, Arizona, South Carolina, Texas, and other states tackling persistent pension solvency challenges.
Christensen has contributed to in-depth solvency analysis of the Arizona PSPRS, Arkansas TRS, Louisiana TRSL, Texas ERS, and Texas TRS pension plans.
Christensen's work has been published in the Los Angeles Daily News, Orange County Register, NJ.com, Colorado Politics, and many other publications. He has also been featured in the Carolina Journal and the Michigan Capitol Confidential. His research has been published by the Hoover Institution, The Platte Institute, Texas Public Policy Foundation, and Rio Grande Foundation.
Prior to joining Reason Foundation, Christensen was a pension finance analyst at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, where he worked on widely-cited research on the funding status and accounting methods for public sector retirement systems.
Christensen holds an M.S. in Public Policy from Pepperdine University and a B.S. in Political Science from Brigham Young University.
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California lawmakers should not politicize public pension investments
With $292 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, California’s retirement funds must be managed to fund promised benefits while minimizing costs to taxpayers.
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Webinar on managing public debt, plus New York City’s pension gimmick
California proposals would undo pension reforms and increase costs, and Connecticut could divert pension funding to education.
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California should reject Assembly Bill 1383 to protect pension reform progress
AB1383 essentially repeals the most important parts of PEPRA and would add more unfunded mandates to the state’s already underfunded pensions.
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Assembly Bill 1054’s DROP proposal would increase risks for CalPERS
Lawmakers should be aware that DROP programs can create significant costs and funding risks for public pension systems.
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Proposal would add $14 billion in pension costs in California
Plus: Alaska's teachers need an adequate replacement for Social Security, helping working moms in the public sector, and more.
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CalPERS Monitor: How the pension system piled up debt and could add more
The California Public Employees' Retirement System has $179 billion in unfunded liabilities.
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Senate Bill 55 would complete retirement benefits for Alaska teachers
Alaska’s government employees do not participate in Social Security, which leaves a significant gap in retirement benefits.
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California lawmakers prepare to stick taxpayers with more public pension costs and debt
California lawmakers are pushing to increase retirement benefits for police and firefighters, which could add another $14 billion in long-term costs.
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Pension Reform News: How state public pension systems rank on key health metrics
Plus: Crucial pension reforms under fire in California, Oklahoma bill advances retirement goals of government employees, and more.
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Oklahoma House Bill 3313 advances retirement goals of government employees
The bill would significantly improve the retirement security of Oklahoma’s public workers and bring the plan up to minimum industry standards.
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Washington House Bill 2034 redirects pension funds for non-pension spending
Redirecting billions in surplus police pension assets to non-pension projects goes against the purpose of these funds.
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Pension Reform News: Rules on how public pensions should invest in crypto
Plus: Alaska could take on billions in extra costs by rolling back reforms, unfunded public pension liabilities are a debt, and more.
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House Bill 78 would expose Alaska to billions in additional costs
House Bill 78 could cost Alaska's taxpayers more than $7 billion in the coming decades.
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Alaska’s defined contribution plan is a better benefit than a pension for most state public workers
State policymakers should keep the defined contribution plan open as an option for those who would like to take advantage of its inherent advantages.
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Pension Reform News: Public pension reform drives fiscal responsibility, not inequality
Plus: How property tax cuts will impact pensions in Texas, Louisiana's pension crisis threatens taxpayers, and more.
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Restoring the Florida Retirement System’s COLA would increase pension costs, risk
State policymakers should look beyond best-case scenarios when evaluating the restoration of a cost-of-living adjustment.
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Pension Reform News: The political push for Connecticut’s pensions to invest in the WNBA
Plus: San Diego pension debt drives taxes and fees on residents, pensions are a major contributor to state and local government debt, and more.
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California’s state and local pension plans have over $265 billion in debt
California’s public pension plans are taking on more risk than other pension systems while generating relatively poor investment return results.
