Dispatch editor responds to reader re: pension stories

From: Ben Marrison, January 15, 2010
Subject: RE: idea for story

Mr. Hyatt, We explained on the day the pension stories were published that it was a joint reporting project by the papers to examine how much the state and the communities across Ohio were paying for government pensions and retiree health insurance (even though the latter is voluntary by the state). The newsrooms of the newspapers are not partisan. We don't influence editorial endorsements. We write stories. Thanks for your interest. As an aside, insults are wholly counterproductive.

Benjamin J. Marrison
Editor
The Columbus Dispatch
bmarrison@dispatch.com
614.461.8827

From: Donald Hyatt, January 15, 2010
Subject: idea for story

Ben,

How many times have all the major newspapers in Ohio ran a similar story? Pearl Harbor, 9/11, and how STRS, PERS, and other state controlled our getting grate retirement benefits. It is interesting that both liberal? and conservative? newspapers run the same story. It would be great to have the Dispatch could find out how this could occur.

I could buy Pearl Harbor and 9/11, but retirement payments, I just don't see it. All those firemen, police, teachers, and public employees. I don't understand how all the major newspapers in Ohio decide to come down on their benefits. Wall Street, Banks, Politicians, and who does the newspapers come down on? Teachers, Cops, and Firemen.

Let the public know why you chose to bring this to front.

If you are a newsman.

Donald Hyatt