Only fair to reap promised pension

Only fair to reap promised pension

I would like to respond to a Nov. 30 letter from Jan Shaw. She portrays teachers as uncaring, greedy individuals who wish to make others, particularly younger teachers, poor, disabled, and elderly people, suffer.

It is interesting that she focuses on teachers, who have chosen a profession which is dedicated to helping others. I would ask Ms. Shaw if she is willing to give up her family’s future salary increases, and any earnings on their IRAs, 401Ks, or retirement investments, and donate that money to help those disenfranchised populations?

I am a father of a younger teacher and two disabled sons. I feel that I do care. I care about all of these people, and am involved in many charitable enterprises, but I also need to be sure that my family is provided for. You say that taxpayers never agreed to fund these pensions, but they elected the legislators who set up the pensions, and who underfunded them for years to get to this crisis point.

So, yes, Ms. Shaw, it is fair that I get the pension that I have been promised and have funded for my entire career, so that my family’s future is secure.

Tim Brinker

Glen Ellyn