This week, the Portland, Oregon City Council will discuss a five percent tax on cell services.

To which I say: it is about time. We need the money. Bring it on.

The issue here, as well as in the community where you live, is that many land-line users have forsaken their traditional public-switched telephone to a cell-only number.

Currently, those users are not taxed. As the proportion of land-line phone accounts declines in most North American cities, it stands to reason that the city- already strapped for funds - is even that much more hurt.

Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard has the best solution. Lower the land-line tax from the current 7 percent to 5, and match that with a cell phone tax.

Cool, I say. Too many of us use our cell lines too often, anyway. I mean, hang out at any mall, store, in front of the local high school, on public transit, even the street corner, and you see the teenagers gabbing away about what they are doing at that precise moment.

Tax 'em on over-minute fees, too. Collect $3-$5 a month from several thousand jabbering high schoolers, and heck, junior high schoolers, and maybe you'll raise enough money to hire another teacher for the school they go to.