What we are seeing regarding PERS is a political game.  Investment returns fluctuate annually.  The sharp rise in budgeting for PERS is not because of immediate need.  The sharp rise has been created to help the passage of measure 97 and other tax measures.  The last year in stocks was below "normal."  This year better.  Next year who knows.  To suddenly burden the state with doubled PERS payments is without firm basis and is being engineered to achieve political objectives.  There is plenty of money in the PERS reserves.  It could be spent.  Instead, politicians are grabbing the money through increased assessments.  Why do you think they are doing this.  Even the RG does not make this clear.