Twenty years ago, I left the financial services industry after working for almost 15 years. During that time, I accrued some meaningful pension benefits. The industry has gone through a lot of consolidation during the past 20 years, and I've moved several times. Every five years or so, I take a half an hour to connect with my former company's pension administrator. Somehow I always seem to fall off their mailing list — yet everyone who wants money from me seems to find me.

I encourage readers who suspect they are owed pension benefits to call the company they worked for and begin looking for their benefits. When they find the administrator, ask them to send a calculation of benefits, so there is proof of what's owed. This chore is not a lot of fun, but will be worth thousands in benefits from former employers who don't seem eager to pay.

Lynn Ingrid Nelson, White Bear Lake
CLERGY SEX ABUSE

Unanswered questions about the settlement

Among the important information missing from the Oct. 14 story on the settlement of the sex abuse case against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis:

• Why do attorney Jeff Anderson and abuse victims believe the settlement's 17-point "child protection plan" is a real solution to the problem of clergy sex abuse? Why do they believe this new protocol will be followed when existing policy, law and ethical standards were ignored?

• How will the child protection plan be implemented, monitored and enforced? Who has the responsibility and authority to enforce it?

• What is the new "process for making public the names and church files of priests accused of abuse"? And, again, who will lead and control that process?

I've followed this case for months and believe it's an important one about an institution betraying individuals and the public good. What's missing from the Star Tribune is an examination of the most central question of all: Is this settlement in the public's best interest?

Denise Logeland, Minneapolis

• • •

It's all well and good that the Catholic Church claims it will be accountable for priest child abuse after the fact. But what is the plan to make sure it doesn't happen in the first place? What screening process prevents abusers or potential abusers from becoming priests? When will women be allowed to become priests? When will married men be welcomed as priests? Until I see movement on those topics, I will remain a former Catholic.

Janet Bates, Eagan
CHILD PROTECTION

Task force must dig deep into the system

I applaud Gov. Mark Dayton for setting up the task force to look at what is going wrong in our child protection system. So far, people in the know are asking why huge numbers of abuse reports go uninvestigated or diverted inappropriately to family assessment. My worry is that the task force will gloss over serious problems not only in the intake process but also in the handling of cases that are accepted for investigation.

As a guardian ad litem in Hennepin County for more than 13 years, I have witnessed social workers lie to judges, falsify written reports to the court, ignore written court orders and intimidate guardians for asking for information that they are legally entitled to see. Often this happens with the full knowledge of the supervisor. Complaints to supervisors are usually ignored.

Most of my experiences with the child protection system in Hennepin County have been good. Workers have been ethical and professional. However, are the members of the task force invested in shining the light on issues and problems in the entire system? Do some members have conflicts of interest? Will this be a fearless search for truth that leads to real solutions or a hand-wringing report that simply calls for more resources?

Mary Ann Lundquist, Minneapolis

• • •

I find it a little disheartening that the leaders on the task force are the same people who are in charge of the current system. The co-chairs — Lucinda Jesson, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services, and Toni Carter, a Ramsey County commissioner — are just going to defend their system and themselves. Better if someone like former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz, a task force member, were the group's leader. She has compassion, experience, intellect and objectivity.

Nancy Newcomb, Edina
COLLEGE COSTS

In 'glory days of 1962,' they were manageable

I read with great interest the Oct. 11 commentary "Our glory days of 1962 — not," about the changing demands on state resources.

I graduated from high school in 1961 and have wondered why it is more difficult to get a college education now than it was 50 years ago — except that I was able to earn enough working summer jobs to pay university yearly tuition of $300 provided I lived at home, commuted to campus and paid 15 cents a day to park in the river flats.

For all the complaining about growth in government and taxes, it has not kept pace with providing opportunity for those of college age.

Kurt Rogness, Minneapolis
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Not just sold illegally, but supplied illegally

Nowhere in the article on the sale of prescription drugs in St. Paul's Hmongtown Marketplace did I see any mention of addressing the source of these drugs ("Vendors learn rules on meds," Oct. 14). I would think that the source would be equally culpable in this illegal activity. If this source is still in "business," there are always people who will purchase and peddle the drugs.

Margaret DeHarpporte, Eden Prairie
CHOICE IN EDUCATION

Johnson supports it; Dayton does not

A recent Star Tribune editorial, and op-ed columns by education professionals, revisit Minnesota's education achievement disparities, particularly between white and black children in the metro area. The recurrent explanations are socioeconomics, family environment — and politics.

The Nov. 4 gubernatorial election is another silent-majority opportunity to vote for either the DFL or Republican position on education choice for Minnesota's children. Many Minnesotans support the belief that education vouchers are a promising remedy for reducing achievement disparities.

Education choice politics epitomize our Legislature's polarization.

• In 2011, when a majority of Minnesota House and Senate seats were held by Republicans, legislation was passed that included educational vouchers. However, DFL Gov. Mark Dayton succumbed to teachers union adamancy that vouchers were not to be included.

• Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson is firm and forthright on this issue. His website states: "We must reform our system to have the money follow the child to any school option parents choose as the best choice for their child."

When it comes to education opportunities for Minnesota children, "the choice on choice" is not academic. Mark Dayton opposes choice. Jeff Johnson champions it.

Gene Delaune, New Brighton