The rising cost of retirement programs

Public retirement is out of control. Private sector employees are

working longer. Public employees are retiring earlier because of the

retirement formula that gives them 2% of their salary at age 50 to

55, which used to be put off until age 60.

That combined with cafeteria health plans, sick leave and

vacation, excess cash-outs means most public employees, especially

fire fighters and police officers, can retire at full pay and start

second careers when they are still in their early 50s.

This whole area needs to be looked at completely -- especially the

retirement formulas and the cafeteria health plans that pay employees

for the excess they don’t use.

DENNIS BARTON

Costa Mesa

I’ve got an answer for your question about the retirement budget

crunch in Newport Beach -- and that is to make all government

employees, from the municipal to the state level, participate in the

Social Security system -- either by a legislative initiative or a

proposition. We can kill two birds with one stone.

WAYNE LEFFLER

Costa Mesa