Eight of Ohio’s largest newspapers have been working overtime beating the drums for legislation to be introduced that would open retirement systems members' records to public view.

That is the individual’s personal history including Social Security number.

However, the reporters should print a few facts that John Q. Public hasn’t a clue: A large majority of OPERS pension recipients worked under Social Security at one time or another not having been blessed at living off the government tit as our Congress and Senators have been (some for all their adult lives.) Offset/Windfall.

In the late 1980s our elected Congress, who always look out for their constituents, voted to reduce the Social Security if we received a retirement income from OPERS. They did not want any double dipping. The ratio works as follows: two thirds of OPERS retirement check would be deducted from Social Security. Is this fair?

This offset/windfall law has been in “committee’ for years — never put on the floor for a vote — either for or against repeal and consequently serves as a “haven” for Congress.

The good folks back home haven’t a clue. This affects many thousands of seniors, a majority of whom are women. If this new Congress wants to correct and return to the seniors what they worked for — now is the time.

Our eight newspapers in Ohio should stop being “gun ho” about what we are receiving and publish the facts about what was taken away by our Congress and what many of the senior citizens wake up to everyday: thinking about how their way of living has be reduced by the lawmakers.

Phyllis Miller

Lucasville