Winnipeg ratepayers, who recently dodged a bullet with another freeze in property taxes, might be interested to know there are many organizations that would have preferred the tax freeze be thawed out.

Numerous social organizations ask all levels of government, on a regular basis, for money in the form of a loan but most prefer a grant (that way it doesn't have to paid back). More often than not, governments agree, happily handing over taxpayers' money without batting an eye.

This year's operating budget for the city was somewhat of an exception to the spending rule. With threats of a tax increase and not enough money to pay for services, councilors did something quite unique - they cut spending in discretionary areas such as arts funding. To be sure, there are still over 12 million tax dollars be shelled out for various social causes, however, this spending didn't come at the cost of a tax increase for property owners.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) obtained a copy of one of these organization's funding plans - the Winnipeg Arts Council's (WAC) Public Art Plan: 2008 Allocation. This is WAC's wish list for the year, all of the things they would like to spend taxpayers' money on. Here are just a few examples of what they had planned:

• Artist in Residence Project: City Hall - using City Hall as a base, a photographic artist would be engaged to document the day-to-day activities of public sector workers.

The cost of a photographer following city workers around snapping pictures of them while they work $60,000. WAC probably thought councilors would immediately buy into this since they were going to frame some of the pictures to be part of Winnipeg's archives.

Here is another gem from WAC:

• As the heart of the City's political and public life, City Hall warrants a major art work. Housed in a handsome Modernist building on busy thoroughfare, an iconic outdoor public art work would enhance the presence of City Hall.

This would have cost taxpayers a whopping $204,000. But thanks to some outrage expressed by North Kildonan Councilor Jeff Browaty and the CTF, WAC's original funding request of $500,000 was chopped to $100,000.

The concerns with the WAC's use of public funds didn't start this year. When first elected mayor, Sam Katz raised some important questions regarding WAC spending 30 percent of their budget on administrative costs - without having produced a single piece of art. Further revelations from the Winnipeg Sun's Tom Brodbeck showed WAC spent $10,000 for communications and promotions, $5,000 in meeting costs for the "citizens involvement" group and $10,000 for advertising. As Brodbeck pointed out at the time, all of this cost for administration and "no costs associated with a single statue, painting or dead rabbit on a clothesline."

The purpose here is not to pick on WAC, but to show where public dollars are being spent. These discretionary funds are better used on snow clearing and fixing potholes. Fortunately, councilors are starting to recognize this. Further, if arts groups are forced to live without taxpayers' money, then perhaps a stronger relationship can be forged with the private sector to sponsor various programs and make art relevant to the marketplace. But art for arts sake should never come at the cost of a tax hike for property owners.