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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. 5 f/ N1 _* A- }$ ]+ r
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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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Mandel 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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; Z# p+ h& H! {) k5 B. _' W: K"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 estimates
! E1 X2 r9 \; @# l$ f"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. $ b+ J6 m) W3 f+ s+ F* ]1 {' t
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. J5 c- e6 m) t- v
% M. @# I7 _* e& x"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. # w! z1 s, A U, l8 u! R& |( V
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 7 E, `( _$ Q" d; v
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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) H ~& L, B" v" p) H4 f( v"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. + @" [0 ~) D1 V7 M/ ^% ^+ F4 f
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 1 q. g5 @& n5 A7 i. Q
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ; I8 c2 c$ y' w
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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.
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/ B1 F% o4 Q8 w) g"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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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. * \/ F- X/ R3 g
& m4 [( `, L3 ^ [8 Q- h. f+ b' l"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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"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." ! ^" d; i5 F$ E1 B
. S2 L) Y z' I6 q4 ^The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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1 o/ P2 ~( }1 @; p3 S hThe 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. ; m9 b2 f5 K' R# `/ Z4 M; _$ {
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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
