 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike. E1 u2 [2 e; U
. V; R0 s. k# B; VThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
. v4 Q7 D' A( {% R7 U, ^0 h# n$ r8 P% d# q/ }1 X& ~6 ?1 G
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.
& q' S5 s C1 r S( c! i: C, v& |9 Y% \7 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. # ?3 A% `3 b. m& L; l1 j, a' ^' P( z
/ }2 k+ Z: \1 m- g"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. + e1 V m+ q6 L* ~3 X% j* m( A
' e, O4 y6 R% J+ N# o
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates) C& h- B- E8 q+ `+ S% L; m( W2 t/ a
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
. c: K9 U2 @ l# m: n, D6 L/ L/ Q6 x& V
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ( q3 e W2 ~/ p0 b! H6 k4 @
7 U$ g6 ` D/ {& _: i* Z: g, Z" b0 r x, C
"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! O. v; A# ~, j% K: p, j& A
" y$ @) f- E# m- ~! a7 t/ i! ?
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. : B5 @: f8 d, W- P+ g6 o, y
- c3 L. y% ?" T* D3 e0 u
The draft budget does not come out until November.
: x0 j6 c# f0 t
4 L9 g( j: }) e+ m"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 V9 }9 E/ X+ ~' d' T1 w
' u3 a; S4 d3 G m3 R"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." # r% O/ p* Q9 ~5 ?0 n. h
7 \9 |$ W& _0 q: jMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
- Z' [( z) `* c6 l+ R3 b( r& E/ g
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
: Q! l! P0 \2 u9 w/ l. d. h& |! j* @6 q; S9 o" _$ D
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
4 Q! ?4 N! c9 ~
5 E& _; `2 }, h- D8 x% o8 l# E7 |Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 3 o/ U' K% _; \# H
0 ~+ C l: S% U7 G* L: R1 h! AHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
& ?+ V& s1 u h2 V% _
' e) |' u+ ~1 l: z' e( q"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 4 E' s! l0 V6 n0 g8 Y; C8 j4 r
& Y: g9 S9 n: U4 z% R' Q6 l4 ]' {' p"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."
( O5 R: Q8 \) y2 O/ G
! u) i! h! l2 ?7 e7 F; T! \The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
5 H+ n5 @9 }' p! T' @& C
: K) w; e, I* x, H' C4 Q& gThe 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. * Y) r1 Q' ~% v# \$ j5 W
) a! `+ l4 {, w0 k. E" [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
