That benefit was replaced by plans that tended to be less lucrative and involved a lower contribution from Chase.

But the principle remains the same: those with the lowest contributions get disproportionately more from the system.

There is no certainty that other nations will meet the shortfall created by Washington's lower contributions in the near future.

By the mid-1990s though this low contribution rate increase was not sufficient to keep up with Canada's aging population.

The lower contributions have enabled the Governor to balance the state's budget and cover much of the cost of the $1.3 billion income tax cuts.

To the council, higher share value means better funded pensions; to taxpayers, it means lower contributions.

If this rate (expressed as a percentage) is increased, relatively lower contributions are demanded of those paying into the system.

Last Thursday, a Chinese spokesman sounded defensive when asked about the country's relatively low initial contribution of $2.6 million.

Governor Wilson had argued that the fund was too rich and generous and could get by with lower contributions from the state.

Countries such as the United States and Russia have a lower contribution than previously assumed.