THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 27, 1994 TAG: 9406240012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Medium
DATELINE: 940627 LENGTH:
Virginia has benefited from these retiree's presence since the early '40s. I know, because I was born here more than 50 years ago.
{REST} Unknown to many, the public schools have yearly received federal money for each military child who attends. The success of schools, businesses, churches, banks, shopping centers and housing have all depended on the military since that time. Without the military influence we would likely be a ghost town, as there are few ``born and breds'' left here.
Pat Williams says (letter, June 15), ``Wake up, Virginians. Federal retirees are about to get virtually the same sweetheart deal given to state retirees back in the mid-1980s - a $400 million tax break.'' The writer expresses concern about crime and says the money should be used for building prisons, hiring police, etc.
I do not understand this thinking. We are not getting a tax break. The money being returned was wrongly taken from retirees' paychecks. What the state of Virginia did to the retirees was a crime. The Supreme Court agreed. That is the reason for the refund. It was deemed an illegal taxation.
Our governor wants to spend money to end parole. It is his responsibility to see to it that the state has the money to afford this endeavor before moving ahead with it. If you or I spent more money than we had in the bank, we would be penalized for that action.
Federal retirees are not the culprit here. Rather, some of us are tired of the rules being for ``us guys'' while ``those guys'' continue to rob Peter to pay Paul.
PAT HUBBARD
Virginia Beach, June 16, 1994
by CNB