HERE we go again. Just a short while before Christmas and the Scrooges are issuing tales of doom, gloom, despondency and poverty with proposed gigantic council tax increases.

Every year, around this time, it's the same old story. Insufficient money from whatever sources to pay for everything. The council's housekeeping leaves much to be desired.

Where do they think everyone is going to get the extra money they demand year after year?

The council must realise that it has to keep its financial house just like everyone else.

We are blackmailed into believing the money is needed for education and the elderly, but every year we pay more and receive less.

Last year the police received a huge 76 per cent increase and we were promised an all-dancing, all-singing, high performance service. From what we hear, there hasn't been much evidence of any improvement.

Where is the money?

Did it go into the police pension fund? It would be nice if we could get our abysmal pension payouts increased as easily.

If there is a shortfall within the police pension fund they should do as the rest of us - bite the bullet and accept the fact that the payout will amount to less than a third of that originally promised.

Janet S Kitchen,

Ashley Park Road, York.

Updated: 12:10 Monday, December 08, 2003