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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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+ l8 \9 }7 |" S) l9 J5 C* k: 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.
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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.
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% T0 D# B9 a# q& CCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates) M, j$ w) J, w" N) e
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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/ ]$ H% P9 o& ` S+ gA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. l) x+ m+ H& E- S4 d( o; q
6 a- v4 D" q! t1 Z" o% H8 m"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. b* r, Q$ g8 Z+ S
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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. 8 W1 R( \/ [/ `: j0 ^
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The draft budget does not come out until November. / F! c r, t% o& G6 Q+ S4 [. G8 o
2 D* w* Y1 Y9 I"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 V5 Q% T: F3 X, e$ C0 P2 ^# I
) d6 E3 B' g- ^5 m0 j0 D"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." ! A7 a1 D2 y: Y* b6 p
/ R# w0 [1 p4 g- R+ ^3 uMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. . o. n4 \1 Y( b) X" D' a4 D. w/ Z
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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. ' b1 c/ b+ |8 {0 o0 _3 h6 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. - I% \" \+ z- j! k1 U8 ?4 o
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. : j* D% h u( D" W3 w: s
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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. $ q5 z4 z; k# J( f( ~3 U
* L) z6 d- A4 o"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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5 l% ~2 s- T, t; A: ]* M"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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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 2 z; t' z& E8 j, d, I8 s4 E- d
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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. & n$ M5 y& b6 p0 v4 v
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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
