Every day Roswell city employees work for us. They direct traffic at our schools, pick up trash, patch potholes, clean restrooms at our parks, and respond to our 911 calls for help.

I propose that we recognize their hard work and loyalty with a 2 percent merit increase in salaries and a 2 percent matching retirement benefit. The median city employee's salary is $42,702 per year, and most cannot afford a house in Roswell. This raise would increase their salary to $43,556.

A council member has proposed that in lieu of this raise, the city roll back our taxes by .202 mill to save the average family in Roswell, who lives in a $300,000 house and earns $98,000 per year, $24 per year, $2 a month on their tax bill.

As a taxpayer, I would like to see my taxes lowered. But as a citizen, I don't want to do this at the expense of our city employees.

If you appreciate what the city employees do for you every day and believe that they should be paid a fair wage, please e-mail Councilman Kent Igleheart [who proposed the tax rollback] and let him know that you support the proposed 2 percent merit salary increase and 2 percent matching retirement benefit for city of Roswell employees.

Councilman Igleheart's e-mail address is kigleheart@roswellgov.com. My e-mail address is mayorwood@roswellgov.com.

—- Roswell Mayor Jere Wood