Reply #2: When I was working for the State of Alaska

[Goldstein1984]

I was earning half of what I could have earned doing a similar job on the other side of the table. Those pensions are one of the few things that made the state jobs competitive when trying to attract qualified people. (The other two being somewhat flexible hours in some jobs, and state jobs being a good place to put a few years of experience on a resume after college.) It was part of my compensation package, and it's owed.