It's reassuring to know that Baltimore County taxpayers are providing Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger with an $87,000 a year pension for his 16 years of county employment. I'm sure we overworked Mr. Ruppersberger during those long 16 years so naturally we have an obligation to lavish him with so much of our money, which, surely, he happily and quietly helped arrange.

The $87,000, according to recent news reports, is for Mr. Ruppersberger's eight years on the county council and eight years as county executive. In Baltimore County political math, that must add up to $87,000.

Should Baltimore County residents assume that other county council members and the county executive have similar taxpayer funded generosities to look forward to?

What do you think?

Our politicians are very good at, first, taking care of themselves and, second, taking care of themselves.

When Mr. Ruppersberger's congressional career is over, federal taxpayers, as well as county taxpayers again, will certainly keep his standard of living at the level he and his colleagues have come to expect from us.

Why do we keep re-electing these people?

Bernard Haske

Catonsville

Editor's note: U. S. Rep. Ruppersberger had more than 28 years of service with the county, not 16. He served three years as clerk for Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Proctor and nine as an assistant state's attorney for Baltimore County, according to the Maryland State Archives.

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