Shame on the Des Moines city council (except Dave Kaplan).

The city is feeling the recession and reduced revenue is forcing cutbacks. How sad.

Many of the city's citizens are also suffering. I am retired but I have lost at least 40 percent of my assets and 60 percent of my income.

My son, who had a good-paying tech job, has been unemployed for months and has yet to get one job interview.

My neighbor is working only four days a week.

We are already paying fifty or sixty federal, state and local taxes.

But the Des Moines city council votes a new tax on vehicle license renewals to be collected by DMV that will take millions from the city's residents.

What kind of humans do this to others just because they can?

John Cruse
Des Moines