The price of providing state workers with generous pensions and gold-plated health plans could reach a mind-boggling $7.9 billion by 2012 — a 42 percent increase over the current tab, state budget documents show.

The Paterson administration expects the cost of providing benefits to the average state employee will equal 62 percent of their salary within three years, according to Budget Division estimates.

That’s up from 44 percent now and about double typical rates in the private sector.

Today, the average state worker costs taxpayers about $91,724, including $63,750 for wages, plus $27,974 for pensions, health care and other goodies…

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