Related story
More than a year's hotel tax, still unspent99 Promises: The Texas Pension Time Bomb
Public pensions are promises made to teachers, firefighters, police officers, and state employees. When those promises are underfunded by $107 billion, someone pays — either retirees through benefit cuts or taxpayers through emergency contributions. This build makes the math visible.
Read this in the original
This entry provides context and source notes. Its detailed explanation remains in the original build; a separate visual breakdown has not yet been authored here.
- Start with the question and coverage below.
- Open the original to inspect the records, controls and evidence behind the finding.
- Check the source dates and methodology before comparing figures or drawing a conclusion.
What you’re looking at
A scroll-driven narrative tracing the underfunding crisis across 99 Texas public pension plans — from massive statewide systems like TRS and ERS to small municipal funds running on fumes. Every plan, every promise, every shortfall.
The question behind it
This build reconstructs a decade of actuarial data from the Texas Pension Review Board to reveal the full scope of unfunded liabilities across all 99 state-overseen pension plans. It tracks funding ratios, contribution adequacy, and the compounding cost of deferred obligations.
Why it matters
Public pensions are promises made to teachers, firefighters, police officers, and state employees. When those promises are underfunded by $107 billion, someone pays — either retirees through benefit cuts or taxpayers through emergency contributions. This build makes the math visible.
Open the full visualizationSources & method
- Texas Pension Review Board (PRB)
- FY2013-2024 Actuarial Valuations
Method
Actuarial data sourced from the Texas Pension Review Board annual reports covering FY2013-2024. Funding ratios, unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities (UAAL), and contribution adequacy metrics calculated per PRB methodology. All 99 state-overseen plans included.