Household levy anger should not be surprise

YOUR editorial “Economic recovery: Like the US, we must face stark reality” (August 2), mentions the anger over the levying of a €100 household charge.

Why is the editor surprised by this, given many will struggle against a background of unemployment, pay cuts, savage tax rises, increasing mortgage costs and utility bills, and will struggle to pay this additional tax, which many believe they are paying for through the historic deal that abolished council rates in the first place?

Are we expected to believe that local authorities really need the money to pay for basic services when one was recently revealed to have blown €2 million on a flower show?