To the editor:

Once again city leaders are calling for a tax increase, because property assessments are down.

This is just another example of city leaders unable to rein in spending or run the city in a manner that reflects the economic situation. They say they’re just matching the rates common to other cities in the area, but this a meaningless comparison that highlights our city leaders’ inability to cope.

The bottom line is that we face an increase in our water bills for the second year in a row and property taxes for the second in three years. If our leaders could actually stop caving in every time the school system balks at belt-tightening, we might be able to hold the line against tax increases.

Furthermore, why should taxpayers pay for an increase to public pensions when this should be paid by the employees? The public employee sector continues to grow and sap the life from the private sector year after year.

The public needs to be mindful of this and remember which of their elected officials voted for continuing tax hikes, and then take this thought to the polls during the next election.

Buddy Wilkins

Suffolk