THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 17, 1994 TAG: 9412160016
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Regarding ``Let's end pension fuss'' (editorial, Dec. 9):
Various officials have invariably argued that state and local employees were low-paid, that their subsequent pensions were low and that in relation to federal employees they were underpaid. That was the rationale for exempting them from state income taxes while federal employees were not exempt.
I consider myself an average federal pensioner, having completed 32 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy. My pension was based upon my military service and the pay I received while on active duty.
I truly believe that my pay on active duty was dramatically lower than the lowest state or local employee's. In 1948, my annual income was $2,500; in 1958, $2,733; in 1968, $5,079. In 1979, it went to a whopping $15,685. These taxable earnings were used to compute my ``retirement'' pay and for Social Security, state and federal earnings.
With more than 30 years of service, the government permitted me to retire on 75 percent of that last income, subject to state and federal taxes.
While on active duty, I drew another small amount for Basic Allowance for Quarters in lieu of eating at the mess hall and another small amount for sea duty. These items were not allowed to be included in computation of my retirement pay.
For that compensation I was permitted to work an average of 14 hours a day for an average six-day workweek. I was also permitted to get shot at during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. I was separated from my family for periods of six months to two years at a time.
When stationed in the United States, I held two and sometimes three part-time civilian jobs in order to support a wife, raise and educate four children and enable me to save a little for my family to exist on the next time I was assigned to sea duty. In addition to raising our children, my wife worked a full-time job.
I have a chest full of medals for doing a great job in the military (no bonuses or overtime pay, just medals that are non-negotiable at the grocery store). I was the ``average'' military enlisted man, not an admiral or general with high pay and subsequent high retirement pay.
Now tell me about those poor employees of the state and local governments whose pay and pensions were lower than mine.
Let's get real on this situation. The commonwealth of Virginia illegally taxed my federal pension, and those of us subjected to this taxation want our money back. No more, no less!
AL THURBER
Norfolk, Dec. 12, 1994 by CNB