The National Public Pension Coalition, an organization representing millions of teachers, nurses, police, firefighters and other public sector employees released a statement this week on a recent Pew Research Center report.

The cost of pensions and retiree health benefits are soaring at the University of California, increasing pressure to raise tuition and cut academic programs at one of the nation's leading public college systems.

As the recession took its toll many states diverted scarce money away from pension plans to pay for more immediate concerns, and the amount of new costs states will owe the public retirement funds in the decades ahead ballooned to $757 billion, according to a study released Monday.

Following in the footsteps of recent votes to curtail public pension programs in both San Diego and San Jose, Calif., Los Angeles' mayor says he too may be interested in taking the issues to voters in the coming year.