I urge the City Council to stop all this overtime for city employees ("Overtime budget buster," June 30). It reflects badly on the City Council's leadership and is poor management and oversight in these difficult economic times. These people are essentially raising our taxes and should be stopped immediately.

The City Council should say no to all overtime except in emergencies like the snow storm. We shouldn't have to pay more taxes to keep over 800 of the same people for the last three years earning more than 30 percent of their salaries in overtime. I question their productivity working longer hours. It's a proven fact that working longer makes people less productive, not more.

Roger Campos, Baltimore