Check benefits before layoffs

EDITOR,
One of the unintended consequences of the Santa Cruz County early retirement programs at ages 50 and 55 is the health care expense incurred until the retirees reach Medicare age.
This cost has been exponential in its growth!
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, the county spent $399,638 for this benefit on 318 retirees. For the 2009-10 fiscal year, the number of retirees is projected to be 785 and the cost $4,804,800.
Talk about a tiger by the tail! What will it be in another nine years?
The county administrator’s proposed budget recommends deleting 178 employees for the forthcoming fiscal year.
It is time that the supervisors examine this county benefit, along with the gold-plated retirement programs, before savaging the employees.
Robert B. Suhr, Scotts Valley