Re “More taxes: Mayor Stoney proposes tax hikes on real estate, cigarettes and utility rates to generate more money for city needs,” Free Press March 7-9 edition:

I see that Mayor Levar M. Stoney wants to raise more taxes in Richmond. The tax hikes would include real estate, cigarettes and utilities to help offset city expenses. What are citizens who are now barely living from paycheck to paycheck supposed to do if this happens?

Mayor Stoney, according to the Free Press, broke his pledge not to raise taxes with the increase in the meals tax last year. I guess a person’s word is not worth the paper it is written on. Do city officials really care about the people?

This tax hike will not hurt the upper economic class of people but will cause the lower economic class to suffer even more.

One City Council member called this a bold initiative by the mayor. I beg to differ and call the plan asinine. I hope a majority of City Council will see through this smoke screen and vote ‘No’ on most or all of the proposed tax hikes.

To the city officials who will be deciding on this tax hike, please have a heart and do not forget us, the proletariat. We, too, are also human beings.

ERNEST PARKER JR.

Richmond