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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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Edmontonians could face a "scary" tax hike of up to 10% next year, Mayor Stephen Mandel said. That would be the highest property tax increase since the 1980s.
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' q( y% \% b- L. P+ Q6 mMandel tossed out the figure yesterday following a presentation by administration that outlined the intense economic pressures the city is facing as a result of Alberta's economic boom.
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' w4 \0 f0 x' f# k* Z( W% ["Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates3 L8 J! @) t; ]" M1 `1 h
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 4 f$ U! y! ]& x/ I9 ^9 C
& k. ~! ~& [: L' }8 DA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ! @9 ` s( h, H: R
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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$ [% W. _- N3 Q6 j yMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 1 Y" x4 ^, I# g6 n
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 1 u& [4 D3 }/ Z: }1 y3 r
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ) g; v$ p# e1 K/ ` Y
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He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 8 V/ }; C2 g/ K" a2 r" B
5 t; {/ Y* a& m"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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* e* I- k# f# ~+ A" i% F' \* x/ G"I don't know what some of these members of council are going to be able to say to some pensioner who got a 2% hike in their pension."
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4 p! Y3 e7 Z0 e' _/ y4 nThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) T" l7 C# F+ `( f8 r5 O+ W0 f
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The tax on homes will go up higher than average - about 7%. The figures include both municipal tax and the provincial education tax, which the city collects. . ?; E1 o: a! _# ~1 Q* t c- F9 c
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Tax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
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发表于 2007-5-9 22:25
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发表于 2007-5-10 11:37
