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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike- s, ^; f2 C, S( [$ z8 D
3 A# i) b( R6 h6 j8 tThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 8 {0 o* k% i; b* E9 Y, g+ S- C
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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. 4 v+ O( t u: x, |
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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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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
7 G. F" X1 v2 b% I4 N6 ~! X"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 8 c' t4 J' F+ l0 Y. B+ B
% G- U9 W4 F n) \- ^- r8 d8 R& @A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 4 v. K5 c) `0 p2 [2 c7 u
% t+ u( ^' m& W"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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$ }* U6 s. b1 H5 n# sCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. . K$ Y7 P1 J7 Y) L
( X- E) X7 e& b3 RThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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* h+ s7 D8 [- ]6 q"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. + N) j) q' s2 L% \& A
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." & S4 e/ b" J; @! n& e' T
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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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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"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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# {! R# C0 ^7 W: `' F$ [$ v5 Z1 y0 `Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ; Q% k+ l& `8 E' B' x
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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.
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"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."
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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4 N2 M2 v' f* _9 F; AThe 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.
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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
