After reading a letter dated Jan. 21 on the City Council and property taxes, I felt I needed to comment.
The City Council should represent all citizens of New Bedford. Many city workers of New Bedford, both working and retired, own property in the city. We also pay property taxes. We have also seen our real estate taxes rise each year.
City workers pay a part of our own health insurance. This payment increases yearly. My deductible has increased 500 percent since the city changed insurance companies. The cost of medications has also increased.
Contrary to (Chief Financial Officer) Ari Sky’s comments in an earlier article, my co-pays are only $15 when I visit my primary care physician. I pay higher co-pays for specialists. If I have not met my yearly deductible, I do pay a hospital co-pay.
I am a retired city worker who worked for almost 40 years and has been a homeowner for 37 years. I was willing to take lower wages and less benefits for job security, but I deserve decent, affordable healthcare during my retirement.
Should I and all city workers be penalized for the increased taxes? Should we have to pay both increased house taxes and increased healthcare costs? I am not eligible for Medicare as are many city employees. If the city downgrades our healthcare, our quality of life will suffer and many of us will not be able to go to the doctor or afford our medications.
This is not the way to treat loyal city workers and taxpayers.
Mary Lou Tavares
New Bedford
Retired city worker and taxpayer
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