Pay Cut for State Workers

The article regarding Gov. Wilson’s demands that state employees accept a 5% pay cut, layoffs and big increases in the cost of health insurance was disturbing to a retiree. However, the statements of Livingstone indicates that he and/or the governor are wrong in their viewing the “public” and “state employees” as different groups of citizens.

Livingstone stated, “We are asking the public to contribute to the solution in the form of higher taxes. State workers should not be exempt.” This implies that state employees do not contribute in the form of higher taxes. Livingstone and Wilson must remember that state employees are also the public and pay these higher taxes. A reduction of salary and benefits means that they will be contributing twice to solve the budget problem.

REGINE E. POGER, Cypress