THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, January 5, 1995              TAG: 9501050006
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A12  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   28 lines

WHERE IS PRIVATE-SECTOR RETIREES' TAX REFUND?

I was dismayed by Raymond R. Cross' letter (Dec. 27) complaining about the tax-dispute settlement Virginia is offering federal employees.

In the first place, he did not overpay any taxes. The way the law was written he was supposed to pay what he did. The courts changed the law by a ruling that federal employees were entitled to a refund.

It is my understanding that the state allowed this concession for state employees only because their wages were considerably lower than those in private industry and in the federal government. This was intended as part of the state employees' compensation.

If federal employees are entitled to a refund, how about those of us retired on private pension plans? Where is our refund? Why is a federal employee any more entitled to a refund than the rest of us?

WILLIAM L. TATUM

Virginia Beach, Dec. 27, 1994 by CNB