Editor, the News-Herald:

Senior citizens of Suffolk who own their homes deserve a real estate tax break. We have paid our fair share of real estate property taxes over the years. My taxes in 1980 were a little over $400 and have steadily risen to over $1,600. The city now takes two of my Social Security checks. My neighbor laughs and said at this rate, they will soon get three of my Social Security checks. I hope he is wrong.

The city proposes to give minimal tax relief to some few, very low-income people. The city should consider giving all people drawing Social Security, owning and living in their own homes, a 50 percent reduction in their real estate property taxes. If the city cannot give us seniors a break this large, just a 25 percent reduction would help. The freezing of taxes at the present level for us seniors is preferable to no tax relief at all.

With an estimated $50 million in property tax revenue coming in with the higher real estate assessments, the city can well afford to give seniors citizens a little relief.

William A. Harward

Manning Road