Thank you for publishing the interview with Steve Walters ("If Baltimore cuts property tax rate, they will come," Jan. 23). His plan makes sense, and I hope the city's elected officials are paying attention.

As a 30-year resident of Baltimore, I have watched with sadness as many friends and colleagues have chosen to live in the surrounding counties rather than the city. Most often one of the primary reasons they look elsewhere is because of the city's exorbitant property tax rate. If by reducing the property tax rate we can increase the city's population and tax base, perhaps that would also foster changes to some of the other major detractions of living in the city: a higher income tax rate than Baltimore County, relatively high water bills, and getting called for jury duty with great frequency.

Myrna B. Mitnick, Baltimore