I, like many others, have not had a pay rise this year and have followed the ongoing debate in The Argus about council tax.

As we all know, if Brighton and Hove City Council does not have enough money, the sensible measure to keep within any budget is not to spend money it does not have to.

As we are to have a referendum, why spend £230,000 on getting the answer to one question on council tax when ratepayers (for the same amount of money) could give views on many unnecessary expenditures, with the results to have a binding outcome on the council?

Here are ten examples of questions the council could ask: 1 Select your preferred council tax percentage change this year: +5% (preferred), 0% or -5%?

2 Should the council lend £36 million for the construction of the i360 viewing tower? Yes (preferred) or no?

3 Should the council revamp the Royal Pavilion Estate? Yes (preferred) or no?

4 Should the council employ consultants? Yes (preferred) or no?

5 Should the council spend £6.4 million improving the Vogue Giratory? Yes (preferred) or no?

6 The council has decided to spend less money on the most vulnerable in society. Spending on the arts in preference to the vulnerable may be morally inappropriate. Should the council set the arts budget to nil and leave arts to be supported by the people who want art? Yes or no (preferred)?

7 The council reduced some council workers’ wages via a process which decided some jobs were equal within the council. The council subsequently decided to give a pay rise which it called the “living wage” without costing the expenditure (according to The Argus business supplement). Should the council revert to the “equal pay for equal work” pay structure and cancel the “living wage” pay rise? No (preferred) or yes?

8 Council employees’ pension payments are falling below the amounts required to fund the pension scheme. The number of employees employed directly by the council is falling. Should the council take money from general rates to fund shortfalls in the pension scheme? Yes (preferred) or no (to increase council employee contributions to fund the scheme)?

9 The council holds considerable cash reserves in the bank. Should the council use this money to fund looking after the vulnerable? No (preferred) or yes.

10 Should council cash reserves be used to reduce council tax? No (preferred) or yes?

J Holmes, Coombe Rise, Saltdean

I would like to add my name to the campaign against the proposed tax rise of 4.75% and also the cost of an estimated £230,000 for the referendum.

The Greens certainly don’t have to cut services for the needy. They should spend their money wisely, instead of on pet projects, such as a concentration on traffic matters and on road-narrowing in places where it’s not needed.

Like others who have written to you, I think the proposal to loan £36 million backing the i360 is utterly misguided.

Those behind the project made a great success of the London Eye because there is so much of interest to see when you’re up there.

The same can’t be said of Brighton unless you enjoy looking at an expanse of sea.

At least the Brighton Wheel moves and is attractive to look at.

Pat Jones, Marine Square, Kemp Town