Editor,

As another West Virginia Legislative session rapidly approaches, West Virginias retirees, which make up the largest percentage of the State’s population, should be asking the Governor and Legistators “What about us?”.

It has always been the workers aim to toil, save and plan for a comfortable retirement. However, many unforeseen factors have cast a dark shroud across the vision. Increasing costs of food, gasoline, utilities, health insurance premiums, property taxes and prescription drugs have continually eaten into their fixed Incomes so as to make it extremely difficult to make their checks stretch from month to month.

Interim Legislative meetings, out of state conferences and Governor Sojourns have produced business tax cut ideas, but, no word of any tax breaks for the retirees.

As it now stands W.Va. is only one of seven states that still taxes one’s social security benefits. This tax is bad enough on the Federal level, but, to be taxed on the state level is atrocious. Also, W.Va. is one of only five states that still taxes a state retiree’s pension. Even the once beneficial homestead exemption has been almost totally eroded by the state’s constant re-valuation, upward, of property.

Therefore, it seems now is the time for the governor and legislators to take serious action to alleviate some of the financial hardships faced by our state retirees.

Retirees, keep in mind, that 2008 is an Election Year.

Submitted by:

Alex Laska

Fairmont