Did I get this story straight? Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is foregoing her cost-of-living raise and instead giving it to charity ("Rawlings-Blake to give away $4,000 annual pay raise," Nov. 22). She claims the city is in dire financial straits.

Wouldn't it be better to have the city keep the money putting it where it is necessary than giving our mayor a generous tax deduction?

H. Williams, Baltimore