If they're laying off Bethelites and cutting back on expenses why is there still and increase in the cost???
In a word: health care. (Well OK that's 2 words).
There was huge expansion in Bethel facilities worldwide throughout the 80's & 90's, many thousands of Bethelites were added worldwide. Those who entered in their 20's & 30's then are in their 40's & 50's now - prime time for heart attacks, stroke, cancer etc. for all those sedentary theobureaucrats.
The Society provides basic health care onsite in the larger Bethel facilities, but for any big problems, including surgery, they must send their folks to regular hospitals. The cost of that would explode exponentially in the next couple of decades if the Society didn't cut the 50+ year old folks loose now.
Of course, the society still pays health care for the ones who are reassigned as "special pioneers" - but they are essentially being "set up to fail" - I expect that the majority of those "special pioneers", already approaching retirement age, won't be able to keep up the pace for more than 5 years. And of course as soon as they are off the SP list, whoosh there goes their health coverage as well.
A most interesting catch Metatron.