Re "Top offices cope with cut" (Page A1, Sept. 16) and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's spokesman Aaron McLear's quote that state employees should make "the same sacrifices as everyone else": McLear obviously is unaware of the sacrifices many made before the economic downturn.

Four years ago, when times were good, I was underpaid by 30 percent compared with my counterparts in other public agencies for the same type of work. This is according to the governor's own Department of Personnel Administration's salary survey. Now, I'm cut 14 percent more.

So I'm vastly underpaid during the good times and cut more during bad times. This despite the fact that my salary doesn't come from the general fund, so saves the state nothing. The only reason I stay is due to my dedication to delivering my project (a multibillion-dollar infrastructure project) and that I'm 11 years from retiring. Many good people on the project have left for better pay and benefits at other public agencies, creating a huge "brain drain."

McLear is way off base. Obviously, I and others are willing to sacrifice, given that we stay to serve the public and deliver needed services and projects.

Mike Whiteside
Strategic Development Chair
Democratic Party of Sacramento County