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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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/ t! k$ R% S S; N2 BThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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2 d% v$ z4 S/ a6 H P6 LEdmontonians 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. ! \7 S \) j% b; w. G; ?: O
: F* _* x7 A1 l+ Y& n+ _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. ; t' n6 a2 H# g& D) I: ]! \; I
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 6 _1 U* a& P. s$ U- a# {
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates' z% x F" \4 x0 T& J' B9 a
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. " I3 v- W7 x: G' @6 j6 s& z
3 z$ A( `- Z- d# Z7 I, RA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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' a- ~, O) J* }"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 4 ?! N7 |- r! m3 j( F: ~5 y* H* n
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 0 n3 J+ R8 c) ]9 b
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." # }2 S& I$ R; j' V
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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9 J( l& [( m) r" NHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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" i1 I; l. w7 e( R1 O E% F) i"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. $ b8 I F: ~! I+ {6 \
) B/ F0 ~, Q2 |) \8 z9 F2 y( a# VScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. $ z6 P3 B, W7 t4 Q( a/ I$ y
% c/ H. B1 E) E& G7 S# dHe 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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( m4 J# s4 ~2 _! O# I"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. : j5 M7 F4 J: ~) S! `
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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. 8 T* @/ K/ Z& A+ ]
m# C$ @5 a( eTax 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
