I’d like to respond to a letter in the Sept. 10 Thousand Oaks Acorn from T.J. Saurman titled “Everybody lost in retirement plans,” which refers to a letter originally written by Kathryn Levesque.

What T.J. misses is one very salient point. Quite simply, it’s this: He doesn’t pay into anyone else’s private sector retirement plan or 401(k). But those in the private sector pay taxes that fund public sector retirements. Further, here in California, many of these public sector retirements have been guaranteed by the state and/or municipalities, so that no matter how bad it gets fiscally, they will get paid their pensions come hell or high water.

Most residents here are unaware of this fact. One might even say it’s one of those wellkept secrets that most public servants don’t want to see publicized.

If California’s liberal leadership doesn’t get control of its ludicrous spending, this state could be the first to literally go bankrupt. If that happens, it will be interesting to see how these etched-in-stone public pensions hold up.

If the private sector is any example, I’d say T.J. and others like him better not spend it all in one place! Remember, California cannot print its own greenbacks like the federal government can.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to this, but the only way to stem the possibility of that occurring is for complete fiscal responsibility. And that isn’t likely to be seen without almost an entire turnover in Sacramento, something unlikely with the liberal stronghold that continues to exist in this state! Bruce Cullen Westlake Village