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County auditor urges employees to use three 'pillars' of retirement as board adopts proclamation for October
Summary
Auditor-controller Cass Cook presented retirement planning guidance to the Board of Supervisors, described pension/defined-contribution/social security as the three pillars of retirement and the board issued a proclamation recognizing October 2025 as National Retirement Security Month.
Tulare County’s Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector Cass Cook told the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 23 that county employees who start saving early and use available benefits can increase the likelihood of an adequate retirement income, and the board read a proclamation recognizing October 2025 as National Retirement Security Month.
Cook described three retirement “pillars”: the county pension (a defined benefit), deferred compensation plans (a 457(b)-style defined contribution option) and Social Security. He emphasized that deferred compensation is portable and that starting contributions earlier yields dramatically larger balances over time under common growth assumptions.
“Retirement is a long way off, or it’s too complicated for me. … Taking a few simple actions today can have a big payoff later on,” Cook said, adding that the county offers free access to certified financial planners and tools such as myTacera and the Social Security website to run retirement scenarios.
Supervisors who commented endorsed Cook’s message. “Do it as a percentage,” Supervisor Macari said of contribution choices, explaining that percentage-based contributions automatically increase with overtime and raises. Supervisor Eddie Valero urged staff and colleagues not to defer enrollment prospectively.
The board then read a proclamation that recognizes October 2025 as National Retirement Security Month in Tulare County and that encourages employees to use tax-preferred retirement-saving vehicles. The proclamation text cited national data showing many workers have saved less than they will need and urged maximizing available county retirement options; the proclamation was dated Sept. 23, 2025 and presented to county staff for their information.
Cook said the county’s pension is supplemented by deferred compensation and Social Security and encouraged employees to use online tools and the county’s free financial-planning service; he also invited employees to a county health fair on Oct. 1 where retirement staff will be available.
No formal policy or ordinance change was proposed; supervisors supported outreach and education to employees about retirement planning.
