To this interested observer, it was a monumental letdown for the majority on city council to adamently, stubbornly refuse to cut the real estate tax rate by 2 cents.

The innate, naked greed behind demanding "what would you replace it with" after back-to-back years of large budget surpluses and more coming thanks to higher appraisals could easily cost us seats in the coming election.

Greed to earn more money is very American. Greed to take it has been political suicide.

Being so out of touch with wage earners who struggle may mean we have been all the power too long. We are fortunate the opponents don't have the savvy to make the most of this, for there is much to be made.

Rey Barry (electronic mail, March 31, 2000).