Taxes are a necessary evil but they are even more evil when unnecessary.

Last summer, after Giant mine closed, Yellowknife city council raised taxes 3.7 per cent to make up the tax shortfall. Now, as expected, council is talking about cutting taxes by two per cent, leaving 1.7 per cent of the hike in place.

It is fine to defend city administration's failure to anticipate Royal Oak's bankruptcy but raising taxes last year, calling it the best solution, showed a weak commitment to council's role.

Council is there to get the best dollar value for ratepayers, to build and run a quality city as efficiently as possible.

Most importantly, council is there to give administration firm direction, to scrutinize planning and policies.

In this instance, by opting to raise taxes, council took the easiest way out.

They said to ratepayers 'You come up with the money' instead of saying it to administration first.

How can the majority on council still believe the tax hike was worth facing angry citizens when it didn't really happen?

Last December, the increase was deferred to the June tax bill. Now council is considering cutting the 3.7 per cent to 1.7 per cent in time for that tax bill.

Had council put ratepayers ahead of city administration's desire to top up all their funds and pay down debt ahead of schedule, they would have put off the tax hike for a year.

This would have allowed council to help administration avoid any tax increase at all and instilled some confidence that all alternatives were considered.

We are not against crucial tax increases nor politicians making tough decisions.

We are against unnecessary trips to the public trough and last summer's tax grab was one.

The 40-year-old Ingraham Trail has crumbled into a terrible state, with enough potholes, sloping corners and washboard to shake a vehicle apart.

Much of the damage, we suspect, can be traced to the pounding from hundreds of trucks rushing supplies to isolated mines during the short winter road season.

This year $494,000 has been allocated to upgrade less than one kilometre of the road, likely not enough to satisfy the people who travel the road to their homes and favourite recreation sites.

It's understandable that many would like to see the road upgrade go more quickly, but when budgets are limited and road reconstruction costs are high, priorities must be set.

As the only road link into the NWT capital, Highway 3 from Rae should be given priority, and its reconstruction speeded up.

Finding a manhole cover from another city in a Yellowknife alley is just another one of those Northern quirks.

It appears that the Edmonton-based manufacturer mistakenly sent Whitehorse's order to Yellowknife. The city keeps them on hand for emergencies.

Perhaps, with Whitehorse's co-operation, the city could turn it into a game for visitors.

The tourist who discovers the anomalous sewer cap wins a free trip to the Yukon's capital.

Meanwhile, Whitehorse would be running a similar contest with a Yellowknife manhole cover.

Because it is unlikely anyone would find a different city's plumbing in their hometown, Yellowknife should take advantage of it.

It's the little things that make a difference.

We here at Kivalliq News seem to be leading the way lately in heaping accolades on the hamlet of Arviat.

That being said, with decisions like the one made by council this month to financially back their local student council's efforts to bring a MuchMusic video dance to the hamlet, it's hard not to do a bit of cheerleading.

There are too many hamlet and organizational leaders in the Kivalliq who lead the way when it comes to jumping on the old soapbox and trumpeting the cause of youth and elders.

The problem is that it usually takes a great deal more effort to find these same leaders when it comes time to put their money where their mouth is.

There can be no downplaying the positive message this decision sends to Arviat's youth.

Having MuchMusic come to their hamlet is a monstrous deal for these kids.

For one bright, shining night, they will be on an even playing field with kids their own age across Canada.

But beneath the joy these kids are feeling in anticipation of this event, there is an even stronger message.

The Arviat Hamlet Council is showing local kids it is, in fact, both aware and supportive of their efforts to improve their quality of life.

As one student council member put it -- maybe an event like this will convince one or two students who are teetering on the edge of dropping out that there are positive aspects of staying in school.

Efforts such as this show these kids good things really do happen when they pull together and work hard for something they believe in.

There are, no doubt, some people in the Kivalliq who can't understand all the hoopla over a video dance.

But this is much more than a dance, this is an accomplishment -- a major accomplishment for these kids.

The students involved with this project, the hamlet council, Brighter Futures, Keewatin Air and the rest of the sponsors deserve a round of applause for their efforts.

Once again, Arviat is setting the standard in the Kivalliq when it comes to showing the rest of the region what can be accomplished by teamwork, dedication, hard work and co-operation between the adults and youth of our communities.

Hopefully, this is one group effort that won't prove itself to be a one-hit wonder in our region.