I am writing in response to the editorial of March 11 regarding the state employees’ pension fund. I am appalled at a number of things about it.

First of all, what happened to Social Security up to and after 1983 was appallingly unethical and irresponsible. The penalty for government officials’ corrupt actions was paid by the American public.

Why would the Sun Journal editorialist now use that as an excuse to justify the current proposals?

If a private company raided the pension fund, wouldn’t that be an illegal and actionable thing to do?

Second, the editorial seems to be equating the state employee retirement fund with Social Security. That is inaccurate in a couple ways. Social Security wasn’t set up to be the only money available to seniors — it was meant to be supplemental.

Increasingly in these times, private pension funds are being dropped or no longer offered as a benefit. A pension fund is not the same as Social Security.

The editorial stated that the employee’s contribution to the retirement fund is 7.65 percent, but a letter to the editor in the same issue says that teachers pay 9.1 percent. Which is it?

Finally, what safeguards are in place to secure that this fund won’t again be “appropriated” to hide or make up for other shortfalls?

Perhaps some of the elected officials would like to begin to help the budget by forgoing some of their benefits. It would be a start.

Folger Cleaveland, Farmington