Policy Research Shop Testimony: February 10, 2012

PRS Students Testify Before NH Special Committee on Public Employee Pensions Reform

On Friday, February 10, 2012, three Dartmouth students from the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center Policy Research Shop, Michael Altamirano ’13, Stephen Cheung ’13, and Brandon Debot ’14, traveled to the NH Legislative Office Building in Concord, NH, to testify before the NH Special Committee on Public Employee Pensions Reform. At the invitation of Chairman Ken Hawkins, the PRS team presented their analysis of policy options for reforming the way in which the state of New Hampshire awards cost of living adjustments (COLAs) to its retirees.

The students discussed the ways in which other states and the federal governments issue COLAs, including detailed analysis of various measures of inflation, and presented the likely cost/benefit outcomes for NH should it choose to move away from its current system of awarding COLAs on an ad-hoc basis. After a fifteen-minute presentation, the students responded to detailed and highly-technical questions from the committee. The team enjoyed a tour of the NH State House before heading back to Dartmouth.