To the editor:

I am all for less government and the cost benefit. However, I have mixed emotions about changing the benefit from a fixed pension to a 401k plan. I will benefit soon from retiring with KPERS after 38 years with the state. Even as a young man the retirement benefit was an influential reason why I chose to work as a state employee. I took over a dollar an hour cut when I started at the state, but I felt the benefits outweighed the monetary loss. The state is still behind on pay in comparison to outside industries. If the benefits decrease, it will be more difficult to attract and keep good workers.

I feel strongly that if the decision is made to deny KPERS membership to new state employees it needs to be denied to new legislators too! The article in the April 26 Journal-World entitled “KPERS perk for legislators gets little discussion by legislators as they consider sweeping changes” shows clearly how the legislators use KPERS to their best advantage. Clearly, if new state workers must forgo this benefit the new legislators must too!