Editor, Gazette-Journal:

The new, improved, reassessed Mathews County tax bills have arrived in our mailboxes! Even with the "no tax increases" promise by the board of supervisors still ringing in my ears, I see a $455 tax increase in my bill.

Even though every time I pick up a newspaper or log online, I read where home values and prices are dropping again. Even though home foreclosures are at an all-time high and people are losing their jobs. Even though gas and food prices are higher than they’ve ever been … Mathews County assessors find that they need to make up for the last five years and increase property values, so up to 60 percent higher (mine).

Federal, state and local governments are going to find out in the very near future that their citizens are broke and cannot continue to support a government that won’t cut back during this recession.

The board of supervisors stated that even with the new assessments, the county would remain "re...