Elders feeling squeeze

Sat., Jan. 2, 2010

The Spokesman-Review

Obama is calling for 2 percent raises in 2010 following 3.9 and 3 percent raises in the previous two years. In addition, federal workers get a 1.5 percent “step” increase. The average federal worker gets over $71,000 per year. Meanwhile, we Social Security recipients, many of whom get less than $15,000 per year, get no cost-of-living increase for the next two years.

Is this fair? Is this a proper use of tax dollars? Why? No cost-of-living increase for Social Security. There’s plenty of cost increases that we have to pay for. Cost of energy, food, living expenses; now this health care bill wants deeper cuts in Medicare. Where will this leave us older people?

W.F. Bittner

Spokane Valley

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