My real estate bill arrived and my blood pressure went up a couple of numbers.

I expected a small increase in my taxes, but with the small adjustment in the tax rate, I did not expect this much.

The solution to these ever-increasing assessments and increasing taxes is to adjust the tax rate each year to be revenue neutral. I have family living in the Nags Head, N.C. area, and as their assessments go up, their tax rate goes down. If the city needs more money, the City Council then must vote for a tax increase.

Where is all this money going? I, and others, would like to see published in the newspaper a list of city expenditures each month, or if not, quarterly, just like real estate sales.

Since 1978 there has not been any improvement of city services provided to this area, while our taxes have gone up 400 percent. The city treasurer should not worry, this increase only raised my blood pressure temporarily, and I will reluctantly have that check in the mail by Dec. 5.

William H. Harward

Suffolk