WHY is it that the hard working population of this country is constantly being squeezed for more?

Reading the article on the police (LET, November 22) I have no problem with specialist services being shared between forces but this is an operational matter for the chief constables to deal with.

However, I am surprised that they are short of money. A 3.5 per cent increase in budget would seem fair enough in the low inflation environment that we currently exist. Add in to this the £44million efficiency savings made over the last eight years it makes me wonder why our council tax had to go up at all.

With regard to speed cameras etc, I think there is a need for some quango to oversee the police force. Perhaps OFFCOP.

Thumbing my way through the paper I then noticed that around 85 per cent of the Jobsearch pages were occupied, directly or indirectly by civil service positions.

If this 85/15 ratio between state and private jobs available is typical of the job creation in this country then it doesn't take an economist to realise that this is not sustainable. Especially as most of these positions come with pensions and other benefits that are seldom seen in the private sector.

We have seen many instances in recent years of politicians from various parties milking the taxpayer for their own benefit, in what they dress up as a legitimate manner. Is it any surprise that the whole system is now doing this?

The sad thing is, I cannot see things getting better.

RICHARD TAYLOR, Rannoch Drive, Blackburn.