State retirees struggle through inflation while budget plans leave them out

Valentina Belmares, 73, left, and Gloria García, 68, pose for a photo at Belmares’ home in Alamo on Monday. García says, “If you don’t get a pension raise in 20 years like how Social Security gives raises, how are the middle class people supposed to make it with inflation?” (Credit: Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune)

---

Sandy Smith thought she was doing the right thing.