To the retirement commissioners:

I am a municipal and state retiree with 43 years of service to my community; 20 years with the Natchez Fire Department and 23 years with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. This was a chosen profession.

I, along with other retirees and present employees, paid our retirement dues each and every pay period. A verbal, possibly written contract and law was passed by the governing bodies that after 20 years or more or after a certain age, we would receive a percentage of our salary plus a cost-of-living adjustment, also known as the 13th check.

Our Attorney General has stated this retirement is law and must be upheld.

I am 74 and in poor health. My wife and I depend on this retirement and the 13th check for our livelihood. I paid my dues and expect this contract to be upheld without interference from anyone, including this commission.

I have read a lot about the forming of this commission and have several questions.

4Why would a lame duck governor form a commission that is not needed? PERS has managed our retirement over 50 years successfully and without un-fixable problems.

4Why was this commission appointed without any input from retirees and employees? None that I have talked to were asked if they were unhappy with PERS. The reason is that the answer would have been a resounding “no, leave our retirement alone!”

4Why did outgoing Gov. Barbour use $250,000 stimulus money to set up this study? Where is this money going? How much is each commissioner’s salary and benefits? What is outgoing Gov. Barbour getting out of this? This stimulus money came from our taxes. So, they are using our money to take away our money and benefits.

4Why are fire and law enforcement departments the first places attacked when looking for budget cuts. These are the least paid, and the people responsible for the protection of our lives and property.

4Why not study and investigate cutting the salaries and benefits of the highest paid elected officials?

I want all candidates in the November election to know that we expect to hear your stand on our retirement system before November. Any candidate who is not 100 percent for leaving our retirement alone will not gain our support.

Jerry McDaniel

Natchez resident