As a State Worker, i can tell you it's no Picnic because our Retirement (Pers) is Funded mainly by the State Workers, like a 401k plan, we pay into it, or take a Voluntary Reduction in pay.
The Retirement incentive is SOOOOO GREAT that only 1.54% of the workers in my Field (Corrections)Actually manage to do the 25 years needed on average to retire, and then need to go find another job, so they can actually Afford to live in the State. Oh, and we don't get Social security either, since we don't pay into it.
And our Health plan on retirement? try $300 a month, plus another $300 a month for your Spouse, and that comes out of your retirement check, and forget it if you want to move elsewhere, it won't cover you.
Our Jobs are so Great that we have anywhere from 20-30% Vancancies and thats with a high unemployment Rate right now, due to our low pay, Abusive supervisors, idiotic Governor (Who by the way had indicators of the worsening budget crisis prior to him being elected, much less before he submitted the Budget bill).
Of Course, People like Helen like to rage about all the injustices, like bad roads, Lack of Teachers, Long Lines at the DMV, the welfare Dept., Etc., she just expects the Fairy Godmother to pay for them.