Writer used 'wrong choice of words'

In regard to your editorial about pensions ("Listen to cities on growing pension impact," April 2), I'm one of those retired 51-year-olds whose pension is 75 percent of my ending salary. For doing nothing. This is a poor choice of words and insulting at the least. My pension is based on what I did for 30 years. It is part of the benefit package offered by the employers. It is also something that I paid into through deductions from my pay check while on the job.

I don't know if you have ever been a firefighter or a police officer. I do know that I have never been an editor of a newspaper. And, I do know that I would never pass judgment on any compensation offered to you during or after your employment, because of that. Please extend our profession that same courtesy before you use terms like "for doing nothing," and "not a real plus in the cost/benefit analysis."

T.R. Fitzpatrick

Lake Zurich