
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 14, 1991                   TAG: 9102140495
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

STATE EMPLOYEES BEAR THE BRUNT

IF ANYONE really believes that furloughing state employees will reduce the likelihood of further layoffs, think again! State employees have borne and evidently will continue to bear the brunt of tax shortfalls in Virginia, while every other working Virginian is assured that his or her taxes will not be increased.

We are state employees and have been loyal servants to the commonwealth more than nine years. Between Oct. 16, 1990, and Jan. 16, together we forfeited $3,770 in raises due us, and in December 1990, suffered a 56 percent increase in the cost of our health coverage. Should each of us be furloughed for 15 work days, we will lose an additional $2999.27 in income.

Is this fair? Our family enjoys no other privileges than any other. We drive on the same roads, attend the same schools, eat at the same restaurants and buy our food at the same stores. Dammit, we should pay the same taxes! We are sick and tired of bearing the tax responsibility for the entire State. As your Feb. 6 editorial put it, "Better to spread the pain."

Wake up, Virginia, and raise state taxes! PAULA and MIKE FOSBRE ROANOKE

by CNB