NEPBA Statement Opposing Proposed Use of State Pension Funds for Economic Development Initiatives
Jun 12, 2026
The New England Police Benevolent Association (NEPBA) strongly opposes any proposal that would divert or expose Massachusetts public employee pension assets to increased political or economic development investment initiatives.
The pension system exists for one purpose: to safeguard the retirement security of the men and women who dedicated their careers to public service. Police officers, correctional officers, dispatchers, and countless other public employees contribute to these retirement systems with the expectation that their funds will be managed solely in the best interests of plan participants and beneficiaries.
Our members did not dedicate decades of service, work holidays, miss family milestones, and place themselves in harm's way so that their retirement security could be used as a vehicle for economic development experimentation. Pension assets are not venture capital funds, economic stimulus accounts, or political tools. They are earned retirement benefits that must remain protected and managed according to sound fiduciary principles.
Massachusetts has long maintained a professional investment structure designed to maximize returns while prudently managing risk. Any effort to alter that mission by directing pension investments toward projects based on public policy objectives rather than solely on investment merit raises serious concerns for current employees, retirees, and future beneficiaries. Reports indicate that labor organizations and retirement advocates across the Commonwealth have expressed similar concerns regarding the proposal.
NEPBA stands firmly with our members and all public employees in defending the integrity of the pension system. Retirement funds must remain focused on generating the strongest possible returns for those who earned them, not advancing government policy objectives.
We call upon lawmakers to reject any proposal that jeopardizes the independence of pension fund management and to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the retirement security of Massachusetts public servants.
The men and women who protect our communities every day deserve the certainty that the pensions they have earned will be there when their careers come to an end.
