This letter is in reference to the city of Suffolk’s ideas on what to do with the city’s budget surplus.

A decision to reinstate the so-called free bulk trash pickup for citizens would be a good one. The idea that trash pickup ever was free is not correct. We taxpayers have paid for this service with every tax bill.

We taxpayers bought the trucks and paid the drivers’ and dispatchers’ salaries. City officials cut this necessary service to all citizens and replaced it with an unpopular and unjustified pickup fee.

The budget surplus came from the citizens and should be given back to them. The idea of giving bonuses to city employees for doing their jobs in these tough economic times is inappropriate.

I recommend that some of the surplus money be used to issue a large trash can to each household in the city. All sections of Suffolk should be treated equally.