Act now, before it's too late

Yellowknife's civic leaders have the perfect opportunity this week to chart a course for smoother waters, thanks to the city's draft budget.

Prepared by city hall's administration, the draft recommends, among other items, that the city sink a further $1.5 million in debt. This will drive the accumulated debt up to $26.5 million from its current perch at $25 million.

When aldermen come up with the final amendments to the draft document, we hope they consider current economic realities and soon-to-come economic hits that Yellowknife will be taking.

For one, the price of gold -- something that has driven the economy in this city for a long time -- is the lowest it has been in years.

One would think the 26 recently announced layoffs at Royal Oak's Giant Mine would be enough to raise alarms with city hall bean counters.

Royal Oak is the third highest municipal taxpayer, weighing in at $780,000 in taxes this fiscal year. First on the list is Miramar Con Mine, which paid a 1997 tax bill of just over $1 million.

The NWT is set to divide in 1999, resulting in fewer government jobs for the capital city. The territorial government employs just over 2,180 people in Yellowknife, which makes it the city's largest employer.

Municipal, territorial and provincial governments everywhere else in Canada have long accepted it is time to pay down debts and deficits.

Much of Yellowknife's debt seems to stem from ideas of a twin-pad, multi-use community centre facility, which despite not having a piece of land to rest on, has cost the city $363,700.

Yes, that much money has been spent on an idea that hasn't even been fully developed on paper, much less on a piece of real estate.

We certainly hope city council puts a cap on the debt, spending and over-ambitious arena dreams before they get even further out of hand.

This city council was elected on a promise that they would lead the way and have administration follow that lead.

The 1998 municipal budget process is the perfect opportunity for aldermen to live up to that promise.

It's becoming a Yellowknife tradition. For the second time in two years, sandwich-lovers have traded cans of food for Subway sandwiches as an act of charity benefiting the food bank and those who depend on it.

This year's tally of 1,200 sandwiches kindly offered up by Subway more than doubles the 1996 total. It was the kind of story that makes up for the one about the theft of a Remembrance Day poppy fund jar earlier in the month.

Of course, it would be best we could do away with the need for the food bank in the first place, but until then, we'll need more acts of selflessness like the one Subway and its customers just produced.