Senior citizens are being slighted

To the editor:

In all the wisdom of a toothache, our government has decided that seniors on Social Security do not need an increase for next year because gas prices were lower this past year.

Case in point: gas prices fluctuated up and down during the 2015 season, true. But the following increased immensely - utilities, property taxes, food and medicines. Our property taxes increased $600 over the past year, doctor visit runs $185 per, various meds increased, groceries such as eggs, beef, cereal, bread, milk and the list goes on and on.

So my question to our government is: why consider gas when raising or holding the Social Security rates for seniors? And, oh, by the way, in this same decision you make the call to raise Medicare insurance rates for seniors 53 percent. This total adjustment will end up taking dollars away from seniors.

Hang onto your hats seniors, we are getting the short end again.

Janice Carson

Cedar Rapids