Document text
Letters to the Editor: Clearing up the debate about taxing federal pensions As a federal retiree, I must correct some false information being expressed on some editorial pages concerning our pensions and taxation. FACT 1: Federal retirees' average annual pension amount is only $22,428. Federal retirees' surviving spouses' average allowance is a mere $11,904 - below the official poverty level. These are hardly "lucrative," which has been stated by some. FACT 2: Our pensions are not, and never have been, exempt from federal income tax. FACT 3: Any taxable income other than our pensions is, and always has been, fully taxed by the State of Oregon. FACT 4: Federal retirees who retired after October 1991, DO PAY an amount of state income tax on their pensions. FACT 5: Federal retirees who retired before October 1991 are exempt from state income tax only on their pensions. This was a court decision and definitely not as a result of any supposed "government employee/retiree voting bloc." Clifford Dickason, Ashland Note to Council: Leave the Patriot Act to Congress Word is that our city council is going to begin discussing a local Patriot Act. This is a topic that ought to be left to Congress. If our council becomes embroiled in such a discussion their time and energies cannot be focused on local issues, housing, law enforcement, traffic congestion, and infrastructure. AND expensive city staff time will be devoted to research. Council members, remember that you are elected to decide for Ashland citizens on Ashland issues. Leave national matters to those elected to attend meetings in Washington, D.C. Graham Lewis, Ashland One name that won't appear on the RVTD recall petition Author, editor, and activist Jim Wallis provides three "tests of politics." He suggests that healthy politics must show compassion, community and civility. If you truly believe the RVTD recall effort has been compassionate, community-centered and civil, then sign the petition for a recall election. If not, then do not reward destructive politics with your signature. As for myself, I will definitely not be putting my name on the petition. Al Bodin, Ashland LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -