In Mayor Katz’s 2005 “State of the City” speech he openly questioned the need for the City of Winnipeg to own and operate golf courses.

His speech, available on the city’s web site, includes the following: “As most of you know, I am not a typical politician.  So there are a few questions that I am anxious to ask.  The city already strains to deliver a lot of services.  Does golf have to be one of them?”

Those refreshing words, delivered just six months after he took office, have yet to result in action.  More than four years later, nothing has been done with the city’s fleet of twelve golf courses.  Yes, that’s right, the city owns not one, not two, but twelve golf courses.  One of which, John Blumberg, isn’t even located within the city.

Mayor Katz rightly said in 2005 that the city strains to deliver a lot of services.  Today,  that statement is still true.  Resources devoted to operating golf courses should be used for core services, like fighting crime, fixing our roads, or lowering our tax burden.  Considering there are 53 golf courses in and around the greater Winnipeg area, does the city really need to be in that business?  Of course not.

The city’s major challenge isn’t due to a lack of revenues. city hall has a problem focusing on what services it should be providing.  In fact, when members of the city ’s 2007 Economic Opportunity Commission met with councillors to discuss the city’s operations, many councillors openly questioned what the city’s ‘core services’ actually are.  In other words, the ‘leaders’ of our city, weren’t clear on the primary role of the organization they were hired to lead.  Surprisingly, the administration informed the Commission that they looked to council to define core services.

Clearly, it’s like a cat chasing its tail.  If there is no clear list of ‘core services’ for the City of Winnipeg to focus on providing, it’s no wonder they’re still running non-essential services like municipal golf courses.

Imagine if the city sold off Tuxedo golf course, or any other course for that matter.  Not only would it gain on the sale of the land, it could create infill housing and reap millions in annual property tax revenue.  Certainly other possibilities exist and are worth exploring. 

Instead, what is the city considering?  You guessed it, new ways to pillage more dollars from our pockets.  Last year, council came up with the idea of creating a hotel tax.  This year’s nominees include creating a new $300 “residential compliance certificate” and increasing property taxes.

Critics will argue that while selling-off a golf course or two may allow the city to avert a property tax increase this year, it won’t necessarily prevent one next year.  However, the city could put all proceeds from the sale of their golf courses into an endowment fund, thereby pumping new investment revenues into city coffers on an annual basis.

Regardless, on the issue of golf courses and the city’s core services, Winnipeg needs Mayor Katz to deliver on the common sense ideas he espoused when he first came to office.

“Fore” those initiatives, most taxpayers are behind him all the way.