DWP Chief’s Pension

* Dan Waters will retire at the end of the month (Jan. 12). He worked for the DWP for 32 years, the last three as general manager. His final annual salary is $165,000 and he will receive a pension of $110,000 per year. That equates to 66% of his final salary.

I was a 31-year airline pilot, ending with 19 years as captain. I selected the highest pension I was entitled to and it amounts to 41% of my highest salary.

I hope Waters’ pension does not include a COLA (annual cost of living adjustment). Mine does not, nor does any private sector pension I know of. This seems to be civil service/public service perk.

Could sweetheart pension setups like that paid to Waters, multiplied by many DWP retirees, be a contributing factor to our high water and electric bills? I think so. If we don’t express our views to those responsible, we can count on continuously increasing DWP charges.

JACK M. DE CAMP

Los Angeles

* As I read the quoted remarks of the “statespeople” who currently serve us in Los Angeles, in Sacramento and in Washington, as well as those who would like to replace them, certain themes emerge in sharp relief:

Most local “leaders” want everything fixed but paid for by the state or the federal government. Most state “leaders” want everything fixed but paid for by the federal government.

The esteemed senator from Kansas believes that the federal government should cut other items from the budget if it does pay for our earthquake relief but I didn’t hear him offering any of his constituency’s pieces of pork to the butcher’s knife.

Taxpayers, most of whom have been hollering that we are overtaxed, expect some government to make good their losses, presumably without anyone paying taxes to provide the money. But the governments all get their money from taxpayers; where else does anyone think it comes from?

We claim to be exponents of free enterprise but I guess that means we want governments to carry out a lot of enterprises for free.

DONALD SCHWARTZ

Santa Ana