reporter: when 86-year-old john canfield retired fromis cafornia state job, he was making about50,000 a year. as a senior enneer, he had designed highway bridges useby thousands of californians. >> destructed l over the state of califora and i take pride in that. reporter: today with yearly increases for co of living, his state pension totals about $63,000. that's more than the avera for ste workers because canfield was one of the higher paid employees. >> i feel that iarned that tirement pay. considered it a contract between me and the ste of california. reporter: for decades, retireesike canfield drew their pay with little noticeut no that xpayers in california and other stes are being told to pone up for underfunded pension ans, questions are being asked abouthe amount pensioners ear the way pension funds are invested a how the pension boards themselveare beinrun. david crane, scial economic advisor to govnor arnold scarzenegger worries that unss those questions are swered, pension spending wil eat away at key ate-supported programs. they already have diverted3.3 billion from the s

that's more than the average for state workers because canfield was one of the higher paid employees. >> i feel that i earned that retirement pay. i considered it a contract between me and the state of california. >> reporter: for decades, retirees like canfield drew their pay with little notice but no that taxpayers in california and other states are being told to pone up for underfunded pension plans, questions are being asked about the amount pensioners earn, the way pension funds are invested and how the pension boards themselves are being run. david crane, special economic advisor to governor arnold schwarzenegger worries that unless those questions are answered, pension spending will eat away at key state-supported programs. they already have diverted $3.3 billion from the state budget, a figure that is rising. >> we are diverting, really, billions of dollars from the university of california and health and human services to pay off pension promises that were made decades ago or even joust a decade ago. >> reporter: since crane and other reformers cannot change what others will