I had to give my 16-year-old son a civics less earlier this evening.

When I got home from work, he brought me a letter that a resident of our city had put in our mailbox some time today. It was addressed to me at home, but there was no stamp or postmark.

Here’s what it said:

“Pocklington was right on the money with his assessment of the speakers at a recent council meeting speaking in favor of the city manager’s budget and effective tax increase. “For example:

$200,000 house at $1.06 per hundred yields $2,120 in taxes

$256,000 house (28 percent increase) at 0.99 per hundred yields$2,534 in taxes, a $414 increase.

City/school employee at nominal salary of $40,000 receiving 7 percent increase receives $2,800 annual increase

$2,800 less $414 makes for a net increase of $2,356.

“This was a no-brainer for the speakers at the meeting plus they had the encouragement of their supervisors who received a strongly worded suggestion from the XXXX XXXXXXX’s (name withheld until I see the suggestion in writing) office. Go figure.

“This and the attached information on the Code of Virginia and our city government needs to be examined thoroughly, for if the city does not follow due process then the rights of the citizens are being infringed.”

Attached were three or four pages of state/city code. It was mostly written in legalese and, while I hate to be obtuse, I wasn’t able to find what it was this person was obviously anxious for me to see.

Someone went to a good deal of trouble to get this information in my hands. If he or she is looking at this, I’d sure like a little more specific information about what it is you want me to report. If they are willing to e-mail to elaborate, or drop me another note, I’d sure appreciate it and would keep it confidential.

Speaking of which, my son couldn’t understand why someone would do all this and not put their name on it.

I told him that the person obviously is fearful that if someone found out what they were doing, they could lose their job or something like that.

What a shame.