After attending the Ward 4 heating summit in Auburn recently, I feel there is a need to explore the new value-added assessment on forced hot water heating systems that was added to the 2008-09 tax bills.

The public was told in 2007-08 that Auburn’s values were at 100 percent, but according to the city’s assessor, there was a two-year error in value that she was aware of and waited until now to correct.

I wonder if that is the last of such corrections, or is that an ongoing tweaking of values in order to create more tax revenues?

I humbly suggest that the value-added tax on heating systems is ill-timed at best.

There has been much discussion from city leaders about how to help the people get through this winter of high fuel bills, where choices will have to be made between housing, food, medicine, transportation and all the other running expenses that occur day to day. Certainly, adding to people’s tax bills for the increased value in heating systems creates an added cost to people’s mortgages by increasing escrow costs. The effect of this takes away precious dollars that will be much needed this winter.

Mayor John Jenkins stated he and the council would be looking into the matter to see what could be done.

I would respectfully suggest that a forebearance for the value of heating systems be pursued by city officials at the next City Council meeting in September.

Tim Doughty, Auburn