Now that my property taxes dropped $20 this year, I can finally go out and buy that rake I always wanted. Thanks Mayor Murray and City Councillors. It was mighty big of you not to take that $20 bill after you and the School Board cleaned me out for $2,500.

More than anyone, City Councillors know the value of a rake. They'll scrape away at every nickel they can get their hands on. If it's not a user fee for garbage collection then expect to take a hit from meter parking hikes downtown and in our city parks. Alternative revenue sources and high property taxes have kept the City in the plush style it has become accustomed to.

There's no getting around it. Property taxes do keep the city ticking. They pay for our roads, garbage collection, parks, police, fire and paramedic services. These are the bricks and mortar of any metropolis. No one contests their value. How the money is spent is another question.

The city rounded out this fiscal year with a $5.8 million surplus - a.k.a. over-taxation. Why not return the wealth to the property owners who created it? Because Council in its wisdom has identified a higher purpose for your money - downtown festivals, conferences, tree planting and arts funding.

Make no bones about it. This year's two per cent property tax cut is welcome relief. But it's a far cry from something that resembles a substantive saving.

Over the past decade, Winnipeg has developed the reputation as one of Canada's leading destinations for outrageous property taxes. A City of Edmonton survey of property taxes (excluding homeowner credits) and utility charges finds that Winnipeg is tied neck-and-neck with Regina as the most costly city to keep a home in Canada in 2000.

Our competition out West will slightly raise their property taxes this year but they can't hold a candle to Winnipeg's punishing tax structure. The municipal portion of property taxes in Calgary is on average $753 and $837 in Saskatoon compared to a whopping $1,456 in Winnipeg.

Critics of the report fall back on that tired old excuse about cheap housing stock in Winnipeg. So cheap that some North End residents plagued by arson can't buy home insurance.

Another cheap commodity is bottom of the barrel stock options. You buy low to sell high. But as an investment, Winnipeg real-estate prices have climbed at only a snail's pace.

To make matters worse, Winnipeggers who stay put will earn on average about $10,000 less than those Winnipeggers who set up shop in Calgary. Their view of Winnipeg is through the rear view mirror. Council's view is still myopic.

Without invoking another tired argument - the Alberta oil patch - City Council is running out of excuses to plunder Winnipeg homeowners and businesses. The longer Council puts off meaningful property tax relief, the harder the race to catch up to our competitors out West. Meanwhile, it's still only a short drive to a low tax suburban get-a-away past the perimeter highway.