To the editor:

I have a question for the city and county. What will you do when we run out of money to pay taxes on our homes? Even when our homes are paid for, we still have a large payment because of the taxes. The only answer you seem to have is to raise taxes. Why don’t you try to save all of us some money?

There are plenty of us who would show you how if you would just listen. You have made such a mess down through the years, our children and grandchildren may not be able to live in the city of Delaware or Delaware County. Do you sleep well at night? Because we don’t — when all we ever hear is how our taxes are going up. We didn’t make the mess; you did.

There is plenty of money from all the new builds; there should be a surplus. Yet all you want to do is raise taxes. They are building a new JVS that we don’t need, almost $45 million; the old one is good for another 20 years. The way things are going, no real estate in the area will sell because of the high taxes.

Delaware County just hired a sewer director for $130,000. I just wonder if our law enforcement officers and firefighters are making that kind of money. They put their lives on the line every day for you and me. Thank God for them.

On another note, I want to thank the Delaware (General) Health Department for releasing the results of the report on the air quality for Delaware County (Feb. 25) from the American Lung Association. Delaware County received a “D,” which is down from a “C” in 2013. The poor air quality is affecting our children. According to the survey, about 36 percent of children suffer from allergies or hay fever, and it will just keep getting worse. It is my guess that our increased traffic and pollution from all of the new builds has a lot to do with it.

Paul Ray

Delaware