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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike3 N$ s8 g- N# _* Y2 C: _! r
7 w. P8 q, m* ^ p+ QThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 8 i" w E: T5 F8 o8 t: P: W
- |' R D V' J: ?- X# x+ ~; kEdmontonians 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. , j% ^9 R; n6 F& J3 V' t
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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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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ( f3 T3 |9 M _
- b& ?) {0 m4 [; H4 Q* O2 JCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
. g3 Y7 z6 c( n9 m5 H* e* B. J"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 3 n/ A6 H; S% ?+ ` p; f
5 J) X7 U/ q% ?+ @3 R5 ^& k! SA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. - g0 z* V8 d9 {/ y
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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+ W, ]# w5 M: O' G0 N"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 9 Q# X) d8 J; ^( P
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 2 C# e' R6 y) b7 |3 q$ o2 a! m
: U. f. {0 Y: q, \Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 6 c( ~" V" q) ~0 n/ _' r2 j
+ u! I* L, b! S" h' JHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 1 a. t" O) F, ~# y) v
+ ]7 {. F5 @% ^# x2 o1 o) i0 y"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. * |1 D! s1 A/ ]7 D; J0 D- T* s" P O
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 1 i) w" p: A% o4 G3 C1 I( Z
( q& ~7 ^7 B1 r& d: C/ ]$ C' YHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. " F3 h" W0 _3 @+ v. j `) M% Y
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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." 1 t' _2 E1 A# u& u) C. k
% t4 c- L& d2 Q2 {The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ! `6 y. Z+ R( r7 O( z
2 {; e _, Z9 u% K$ Y: i, {6 KThe 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. $ D. X8 R1 w" I- s* [( g
9 e+ h1 F e5 xTax 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
