Joe Davidson’s article (Trump’s Social Security budget offers more work, less staff, longer waits, February 27) was spot-on about the impact of President Trump’s proposed budget cuts on Social Security claimants. Let’s also remember that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is funded by workers’ payroll tax contributions, not from general revenue. It is simply unfair to punish seniors, the disabled, and survivors by underfunding SSA when the money for a proper operating budget is already “in the bank” – yet SSA’s budget has been slashed by 10% (adjusted for inflation) since 2011. What’s more, SSA is one of the most cost-efficient federal agencies, with less than 1% of payroll tax revenue going toward operating costs. Suitable customer service is part of the earned Social Security benefit that Americans pay into during their working lives. It’s time to fully fund the administrative side of that benefit and stop penalizing claimants who have endured endless difficulties simply trying to collect Social Security.
Max Richtman
President and CEO
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
Washington, D.C.