The $2.7 billion shortfall in the state’s retirement plan is affecting a lot of people. Not just town employees, though they have the most to lose.

Some are having to choose to leave their jobs sooner than they expected so as not to lose medical benefits they’d have to forego if they don’t retire this year. Barbara Lessard, who is retiring as Salem town clerk, falls into this group.

Then there’s Windham police Capt. Pat Yatsevich, who is battling cancer. He doesn’t know what the future holds for his medical coverage, so he is opting to stay on the job for now.

But this budget mess affects us all. If attempts fail to pass a bill that would make adjustments to the retirement plan, the burden of this expense could fall on the towns.

That’s going to be tough to take for taxpayers, especially when the economy is suffering, and everyone is being hit hard.

It’s difficult to pin blame when the state all of a sudden discovers a shortfall. Someone messed up somewhere. But to let the burden fall on people who are already taxed to the max on the town and state levels is untenable.

State officials who oversee this process need to get their act together and solve it in a way that will help employees who are reaching retirement without further burdening taxpayers.

- Editorials published by Neighborhood News Inc. are written by an editorial board.

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