I believe I saw that the early retirements being offered to local government employees would save about $1,000,000. Has anyone calculated what the long-term costs of this savings would be?

When municipalities allow employees to retire with pensions and insurance prior to age 65, the taxpayers actually end up paying for these benefits for periods that will probably exceed the number of years worked. Not to mention that these workers, while collecting government benefits, often re-enter the work force and compete for private-sector jobs.

If we continue such shortsighted practices, our government will soon face the crises that the airline and car industries are facing. These potential costs to our government dwarf the potential problems to Social Security.

Of course, government does have the ability to just raise taxes to cover the overhead.

Mark Whitehouse
Greensboro