The Yankee Institute stated its survey on taxes didn't carry any questions on Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposal to raise the top income tax rate on people earning more than $1 million because the 98 percent of people who would not be affected would be in favor of it, and there's no news in that [Page 1, Feb. 25, "Malloy Vows To Cut $500 Credit"].

Apparently the institute's concern over the majority expressing their opinion on issues affecting a minority doesn't carry over to survey questions concerning proposed concessions from state workers. The estimated 50,000 state workers make up less than 2 percent of the population in Connecticut and they are being asked to cough up $1 billion in concessions.

That proposed $1 billion averaged over 50,000 state workers equates to $20,000 per worker who is earning an average of about $60,000 per year. The .2 percent income tax increase on people earning more than $1 million equates to only $2,000 per million earned. Where is the shared sacrifice in that?

I guess the Yankee Institute thinks its expression that "two lions and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner tonight" is quite applicable when it comes to state workers. Its hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Michael J. O'Brien
Haddam

The writer is a retired state employee.