 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike3 c3 U. { k8 z0 W) a
% y* O @' N0 x7 f1 g. e
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 4 K, b* S5 J2 x- R* a
1 Z' e5 q+ y5 k5 Y- |$ n
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. 3 g5 @% a( \" b. ^% B
/ z& R! l) X" o& Y6 [! \! P6 B
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.
# e* @" g, r; s4 b* U. F$ x6 x3 G& |
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
) a* @6 l; N; e% w, f2 d+ J% E5 x; x1 L1 z/ {
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates. H% ~8 Q3 t. J% l: W! T! A" g
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 5 R7 Z3 _% Y$ G7 M5 ?
. r% x8 D& k S+ [( C! Y& m
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 1 G w! h( ?$ t3 L; S
0 `6 y! F) H; V7 y2 y+ n
"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.
, K- G" s# J7 B1 K+ ^. H1 `+ m, R8 }* L9 h4 p: e
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ( d2 c$ @% Y% m% _/ S" \) |$ {
n) `$ c9 c! g( t0 ?The draft budget does not come out until November.
6 i( B- n$ i7 d0 V8 K; G- @7 D* S, ]7 t2 T
"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.
- w5 d e& r: Z
! Z8 T6 s- B* m* o# P! u"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
+ Z& O. I- t4 d
5 S9 l" O) R- R# jMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. * _+ s- d2 i( g& V) w
# ?8 v! ]- X# O6 nHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
+ T; b% }" _9 o& V& q: _+ y8 o( i* `- R6 r; {
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 1 |4 _( {6 W9 Q$ H, b* |3 L
9 X2 j l0 i7 `- ~Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ' _% i. m/ ~: B: `
. b1 S( h, c) i4 C, U9 EHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 8 |# {9 H% ^- N9 g* J/ v9 }
7 h! L6 y1 K4 ^$ g% g/ B% h"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
( K( s; `) h- e) Q( U# S( ? O
7 T7 L% e7 |' K9 a4 U }" ]# D"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." " r( ?9 f& V4 n, N- d# O' `
3 c" r/ A0 B# n! i1 d, UThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
, B# X i: D7 E& Q, c$ w+ m4 r. k' b9 H u* a( g9 d& e
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. , f! l) _7 s; O" Q5 U
/ F. ]' d7 }2 V4 C8 e2 U' D, w
Tax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2007-5-9 22:25
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2007-5-10 11:37
