In recent North articles about pension funds ("Board's 'preliminary' budget raises tax rate by 3.99 mills," Feb 18; "Officials fear pension changes will fuel tax increase next year," Feb. 11), school districts were bemoaning a problem that is giving credence to the adage of "chickens coming home to roost" in regard to teacher pension funds. These school districts have been partners in the issue that has developed over the years, and they need to acknowledge their complicity. .

From the time they are hired, teachers pay a percentage of their pay toward their retirements, and for 35 years, that payment was to be matched by both the local school district and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For years, that formula worked, and the pension fund was fully funded.

However, for approximately the past decade, according to information provided by the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania, politicians and officials in Harrisburg excused both their own financial obligation and the school districts' obligation to pay their fair share into the pension fund. In fact, for a couple of those years, these two sides paid virtually nothing into the fund. All the while, teachers still were paying the required percentage of their salary into the fund. Both these entities that were deferring their contributions knew full well that these deferred payments eventually would have to be met.

The teacher pension fund relies on intelligent fund managers to keep careful watch on the fund, but the dot.com crisis, coupled with the recession, caused the funds to be diminished. Since the state and the districts had not been paying their obligations, these fund managers now had less to manage.

Had the commonwealth and the school districts been contributing as the individual teachers were contributing, this current dilemma that districts find themselves in would be greatly diminished.

As people hear about schools and rising costs for teacher pensions, remember who did continue to contribute their obligated amounts to their pensions. Don't blame the teachers.

DAVID L. McDONALD

Richland

The writer is a retired teacher.

Speaking on behalf of residents of Sunnyview Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, we are thrilled to know our home is secure. We would like to express our thanks to many people who have been supportive.

We would like to thank the Commissioners of Butler County for listening to the public opinion and recognizing that Sunnyview provides an important service to the community. We would like to thank Dr. William DiCuccio, for his loyal service and are sorry to lose him as our executive director. We are happy he will remain as the medical director. God bless you in your mission project! We would like to thank everyone who signed petitions, sent letters, spoke out at the public meetings -- anyone who helped us in this venture.

All of us working together have saved Sunnyview from a sale. It remains a nonprofit, county-run facility. Hooray!

Kathryn Mary Kirkwood

The writer is president of the facility's resident council.

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