Colorado’s public pension fund saw a 7.3 percent return in 2016, narrowly meeting its benchmark after directors lowered expectations at the last-minute. The state’s Public Employees’ Retirement Association released its annual financial report Friday touting the $3 billion in net investment income last year even as the director called the fund’s risk profile “too high.” The unfunded liability increased 20 percent to $32.2 billion after the PERA board lowered investment return projections in November from 7.5 percent to 7.25 percent and revised its numbers to reflect that its members are living longer. Related ArticlesJanuary 3, 2017 “Alarm bells” raised: PERA stability again under scrutiny January 20, 2017 PERA at risk of insolvency if another recession comes, director says February 17, 2017 With reform fight looming, Colorado Republicans push to rein in PERA PERA provides retirement benefits to 568,000 current and former public employees.