THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 11, 1995 TAG: 9505100011
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Staff writer Ted Evanoff's two-column report (Business Weekly, May 1) provided several useful statistics about the importance of federal-, state- and local-government employees and retirees to Hampton Roads. He emphasized our economic contribution, but our volunteer efforts are perhaps equally valuable.
At the very end of the article, however, he erred.
Social Security is not a ``handout.'' It is an earned annuity based on a contract between individuals and the government. Military and civilian retirees' income, based on their work for their agencies and their fully taxed contributions to civil service, Medicare and Social Security trust funds, was earned.
These trust funds provide family protection to current and retired employees. The annuities received by retirees and others are earned entitlements.
We retirees want to reduce the national debt, which increased from $1 trillion to more than $4 trillion during the 12-year period 1981-1992; and reduce the federal-budget deficit and assure the integrity of retirement programs for our children and their progency.
We're the ones who paid off mortgages so that we didn't have further interest payments.
We want all 435 entitlement programs, including tax breaks, tax loopholes and subsidies (e.g. mining, timber, grazing fees) to be controlled; note, Medicare's increases have been less than overall health costs.
And we want fair treatment; our Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) are necessary and fair to maintain the quality of our and our families' lives and to reflect increases in the cost of products and services.
Reform, don't gut.
K. C. GIMBERT
Virginia Beach, May 1, 1995 by CNB