Look who really pays for public pensions

Christine Eggert writes on May 22 not to blame the teachers for the pension problem since she has paid her 9 percent for 30 years.

If she averaged $50,000 per year, her total contribution would have been $135,000. Her pension is at least $35,000 per year which means that in four years she will have received more than her total contribution. So who pays for the next 25-30 years since she no longer contributes?

She does not get Social Security. That means she can retire as early as age 55, not 65 or 67 like social security recipients. Nor would her benefit be 60 to 70 percent of her salary but closer to 25. She also would not receive the 3 percent COLA she gets now as opposed to the 1 percent for SS. Let's not forget her free medical coverage when Social Security has to pay for Medicare. Lastly Social Security is taxable at up to 85 percent; her pension is not.

The next time a public employee tells us they paid for their pension, look at the numbers.

Greg Stimpson

Wood Dale