CITY OF EUGENE, OREGON <br />Notes to Basic Financial Statements <br />(5) Other Information, continued <br />(C) Retirement Plan, continued <br />Annual Pension Cost, continued <br />Annual required contribution $ 11,545,962 <br />Interest on pension assets (5,108,354) <br />Adjustment to the annual required contribution 6,374,731 <br />Annual pension. cost 12,812,339 <br />Contributions made 11,545,962 <br />Decrease in pension assets (1,266,377) <br />Pension assets, beginning of year 63,854,428 <br />Pension assets, end of year $ 62,588,051 <br />For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, the City's annual required contribution rate for PERS and OSRP was <br />determined using the projected unit credit method. Prior to July 1, 2007, the City's pension liability and annual <br />required contribution rate for PERS was determined using the entry age normal method. The change in the <br />PERS unfunded accrued actuarial liability (UAAL), due to the change from the entry age normal to projected <br />unit credit method, will be amortized as a level percentage of the combined valuation payroll (PERS plus <br />OPSRP payroll) over a rolling three-year period. <br />The actuarial assumptions for the December 31, 2007 PERS and OPSRP actuarial valuations included an <br />investment return of 8.0% (8.5% for PERS variable account balances), a projected salary growth of 3.75%, and <br />a projected inflation rate of 2.75%. The PERS actuarial valuation included a healthcare cost inflation trend rate <br />of 8.0% in 2008 decreasing to 5.0% in 2013. The actuarial value of assets equals the market value of assets. <br />The unfunded actuarially accrued liability and plan gains and losses are amortized as a level percentage of the <br />combined valuation payroll over a closed period of 20 years for PERS and 16 years for OPSRP. <br />Both the PERS_ and OPSRP defined benefit pension plans utilize a contribution rate stabilization method to <br />restrict the degree of change to new contribution rates. The new contribution rate will not increase or decrease <br />from the prior contribution rate by more than the greater of 3 percentage points or 20 percent of the prior <br />contribution rate. If the plan's funded percentage drops below 80 percent or increases above 120 percent, the <br />size of the collar doubles. The actuarial value of assets is equal to their fair market value less contingency, <br />capital preservation, and rate guarantee reserves. <br />The Oregon Legislative Assembly created a second level or "Tier" of PERS benefits that modified service and <br />disability retirement allowances payable to persons who established PERS membership on or after January 1, <br />1996 ("Tier Two" members). Future interest credits on all member contributions in Tier One and Tier Two <br />Regular Accounts are assumed to accrue at an annual rate of 8.0%, compounded annually. <br />The following table presents three-year trend information for the City's defined benefit pension plans: <br /> Annual Percentage <br />Fiscal year pension of APC Pension <br />ending June 30 cost APC Contribution contributed assets <br />2006 $ 13,230,969 12,625,679 95% 65,026,999 <br />2007 14,557,979 13,385,408 92% 63,854,428 <br />2008 12,812,339 11,545,962 90% 62,588,051 <br />continued <br />71 <br />