I sent the following letter to the mayor and city council members of Peachtree City. Like anyone else, I prefer to spend my money on entertainment, but residents of a community need to pay for services that they enjoy and need.

I read an article in The Citizen this weekend concerning a 1.25-mill increase in property taxes. According to the math in the article, if I owned a house valued at $272,000, I would have to pay another $108 a year in property taxes.

Of course, that $108 could be used as a tax deduction on my income tax return so part of it would be subsidized.

The article indicates that cutting $3.6 million from the budget would mean avoidance of the property tax increase and the elimination of funding of the entire recreation department, the Kedron Center, the Gathering Place, and the library.

I would think that most people with a home valued at $272,000, could afford an extra $9 a month to avoid the elimination of funding of the entire recreation department, the Kedron Center, the Gathering Place, and the library.

I spend more than that on lotto tickets each month, and my house is valued at about $183,000, and I’m retired.

Pass the property tax increase. Who cannot afford an increase of 1.25 mills?

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $84,339, and the median income for a family was $96,880. No one is going to need food stamps if you increase the property tax by 1.25 mills.

Fred Sprickman

Peachtree City, Ga.