To the editor:

I am aghast at the temerity of our City-Manager to even consider asking to take any surplus money and give it to city employees on the heels of a massive tax increase by Council in May.

My tax bill will increase about 20 percent, as will those of most other homeowners and taxpayers in the city. The large majority of us will not have had any pay increases or “bonuses” since 2007.

What makes a city employee better than the taxpaying citizens? In my community, the roads are in terrible shape, sewage is a constant problem for many, because the city has not lived up to its promises, and now council would raise our taxes (through the guise of a trash fee), increase the annual budget in a recession and spend money we don’t have on a new building so that the city manager will have a nicer office.

Shame on council for even considering this action at this time.

If council members cannot see the other options for this money, let me offer a couple of ideas. First if the trash tax is intended to build a fund for the day SPSA goes away, then put all of this surplus money into that fund and act responsibly. If that is not to your liking then use the money to lower the trash “fee” in the first year.

There are many projects left undone by this city, and I would expect our elected representatives to act in a fiscally prudent manner and treat the citizens at least as well as the employees that work for us.

Council should stop any discussion of bonuses. Then, I believe we need to get a city manager who is sensible enough to recommend that budget surpluses be used to alleviate problems that are long overdue for attention by management.

We seem to have a city manager and department heads who are incapable of understanding basic economic principles and who are completely out of touch with the people they serve. A clean sweep is called for, and I am calling on the Citizens of Suffolk to rise upand be heard.

If not now, when?

City government is continuing down a path of self destruction. It’s time for some commonsense government.

William Millan
Suffolk