Editor, the Gauntlet,

I'm really sick of continually hearing about the tax hike here in Calgary, why don't they put it into perspective? Find something else that continually rises by about a compounding eight per cent every year. I know it's tough, but I can think of one thing, our tuition. Since I'm on the tail end of my PhD I've been in school for a long time and it seems every year no matter what we say or do tuition goes up-- significantly. In the five years of undergrad, my tuition rose by 40 per cent. I don't exactly feel pity for those poor property owners. Don't get me wrong, it's tough, but they don't exactly stick up for us every September either. I realize it could be passed onto us the renters, but given the market right now with everyone from Newfoundland and Saskatchewan moving back home to prosperity, I don't think we have to worry about rental increases for once. I'm seeing more for sale and for rent signs than I've seen in the five years I've been in this city. Average property taxes are lower than tuition which means the rate hikes are a larger burden for us and given that we're students, it generally makes it harder for us to shoulder then for home owners. So to all those home owners, I'm sorry, but you'll have no pity from me, unless of course you're a student as well. In that case good luck!