Pensions Benefit Montana's Economy
The benefit payments to Montana public employee retirees are essential to Montana’s economy. This infusion of money for the communities of Montana is spread across the state through benefit payments to retirees of the eight defined benefit retirement systems administered by MPERA:
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
- Judges Retirement System (JRS)
- Highway Patrol Officers Retirement System (HPORS)
- Sheriffs Retirement System (SRS)
- Game Wardens’ and Peace Officers Retirement System (GWPORS)
- Municipal Police Officers Retirement System (MPORS)
- Firefighters’ Unified Retirement Systems (FURS)
- Volunteer Firefighters’ Compensation Act (VFCA)
MPERA provides service and monthly benefits to over 21,000 retired members and their beneficiaries. Of this number, approximately 89% live in Montana. This means that most of the total benefits paid by MPERA stay within our state. When retirement checks are spent in Montana, our businesses experience an increase in revenue. Increases in revenue permit Montana businesses to grow, which leads to further spending and a stronger tax base. This "ripple effect" provides a significant economic boost to our state and our local governments. State pensions added over $260 million dollars to Montana’s economy and tax base for the 12-month period ending January 31, 2012 The table below shows the geographical distribution by county of these benefit payments in Montana.
| PENSIONS BENEFIT MONTANA'S ECONOMY | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | $ Benefit | County | $ Benefit | County | $ Benefit |
| BEAVERHEAD | 2,380,758 | GRANITE | 1,066,495 | POWELL | 4,389,089 |
| BIG HORN | 1,275,486 | HILL | 4,198,733 | PRAIRIE | 658,431 |
| BLAINE | 1,076,537 | JEFFERSON | 8,418,390 | RAVALLI | 5,957,674 |
| BROADWATER | 1,683,010 | JUDITH BASIN | 377,693 | RICHLAND | 1,855,288 |
| CARBON | 2,334,624 | LAKE | 5,869,597 | ROOSEVELT | 2,080,961 |
| CARTER | 326,434 | LEWIS & CLARK | 60,832,510 | ROSEBUD | 1,594,332 |
| CASCADE | 21,905,877 | LIBERTY | 483,576 | SANDERS | 1,853,709 |
| CHOUTEAU | 994,159 | LINCOLN | 3,130,180 | SHERIDAN | 1,161,578 |
| CUSTER | 5,720,175 | MADISON | 1,928,364 | SILVER BOW | 13,556,851 |
| DANIELS | 549,930 | MCCONE | 416,484 | STILLWATER | 1,707,477 |
| DAWSON | 3,713,508 | MEAGHER | 644,006 | SWEET GRASS | 850,683 |
| DEER LODGE | 8,333,854 | MINERAL | 1,359,107 | TETON | 1,659,659 |
| FALLON | 875,565 | MISSOULA | 25,534,233 | TOOLE | 1,365,507 |
| FERGUS | 4,322,001 | MUSSELSHELL | 862,050 | TREASURE | 205,505 |
| FLATHEAD | 15,885,441 | PARK | 2,811,093 | VALLEY | 2,488,367 |
| GALLATIN | 17,200,863 | PETROLEUM | 144,961 | WHEATLAND | 528,600 |
| GARFIELD | 268,465 | PHILLIPS | 1,194,026 | WIBAUX | 497,630 |
| GLACIER | 1,691,550 | PONDERA | 1,573,327 | YELLOWSTONE | 31,849,944 |
| GOLDEN VALLEY | 353,450 | POWDER RIVER | 602,656 | TOTAL | $286,639,497 |
