CITY of York Council has suggested three options for an increase in council tax for 2005. The problem is that since I retired, the percentage increase in my state pension and company pension does not begin to compare with the increase in rates.

My rate payments since 1996 have been as follows, and it begs the question as to how much longer this sort of increase can continue: 1996: £829.46;

1997: £869.79;

1998: £966.87;

1999: £998.73;

2000: £1,074.97;

2001: £1,142.05;

2002: £1,251.97;

2003: £1,416.43;

2004: £1,546.69.

It might help if the council published details of the number of people on its payroll and its total wages and salaries bill for 1996 compared with 2004.

Peter Batty,

Tadcaster Road,

Dringhouses, York.

Updated: 10:10 Monday, January 03, 2005