The time has come for me, a 48-years-plus city of Portland taxpayer, to speak up.

I read, with extreme agreement, the May 4 letters from David Elowitch and David Ryder. I am in 100 percent agreement with these two individuals and their letters regarding the waste that Portland is even contemplating: that is, to increase the salary of our elected mayor, Ethan Strimling. What are the Portland people thinking?

Last summer, 2016, was a drought-condition summer. We used our lawn mower one time. Yet, without fail, we received our Portland stormwater invoice. We never received a credit.

There is so much waste in Portland that Portland taxpayers cannot sustain the forever increases, especially one of such a ridiculous request, that being an increase for our mayor.

Portland people need to wake up. What in the world has this person accomplished in his short reign to even consider an increase, especially with a special assistant (who was awarded a nonsense position) being paid nearly $47,500 for working a partial year in 2016?

Please consider my letter opposing any such idea of increasing his salary. At nearly $6,000 in city taxes per year, enough is enough! If I were a few years younger, I, too, would be relocating elsewhere. Portland is just too liberal for me.

Larraine Brown

Portland