Experts: VA retirement system's six-figure salaries shed light on larger pension woes "‘In an ideal scenario, they would be pretty well compensated because hopefully they're getting the right returns on investments that are saving the state money,' said Joe Luppino-Esposito, an editor at the think tank State Budget Solutions. The problem is the entire retirement system is set up on overly rosy formulas and unrealistic projections, Luppino-Esposito said."