Opinion Exchange

Commentary on today’s news and opinion, from readers and newsmakers.

Over the last five years, New York state has given workers $256 million for unused vacations and sick days upon retirement. Almost 140 retiring workers received $40,000 in payouts over the last five years. LoHud.com readers debate whether this money is deserved:

“If the state did not have us doing doubles and making us carry over from lack of staff this would not be happening. If you do call in when you need time off they put you as AWOL, so many times I was denied…New York state gets what they deserve.
—Linda Alwell

“If you take that benefit away, civil service employees will simply take every day allowed, and the private sector folks can sit back and listen to the phones ring and ring.”
—Kathy Amoedo

“Sick days are just that, days to protect the employee from lost wages due to illness. They should NOT be accrued and worse, rewarded if not used.”
—Denis Ian

Voting in New York has come to stand for carrying out more than just one civic duty; the burden on the taxpayers is enormous, totaling $193 a vote in Westchester’s presidential primary compared to just $7.80 per vote in Fairfield, Connecticut. Election officials are blaming new electronic voting machines and the paper ballots they use for the rising costs. LoHud.com readers offer solutions:

“We should be able to vote using our computers. If we can use them for banking I am sure safeguards could be put in place to prevent voting irregularities.”
—Bea Rhodes

“Every time I go to vote, I am struck by how many poll workers there are just sitting around doing nothing. I think they should be able to figure out many poll workers they need at each poll based upon historical data. The learning curve is over, let’s cut back.”
—Peggy Hatton

“While I agree 100% that the system needs improvement and the costs must come down… if more eligible voters actually voted, in primaries as well as general elections, the per voter cost would come way down!”
—Barbara Cooper

What are you talking about today? Leave your answer in the comments below.