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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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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.
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# r' A% n4 G& Q7 N8 VMandel 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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* U }" ?+ P1 X- c* o# T- SCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates" g6 O+ Z* {. r; u- ~2 R
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. * g7 d& s( L+ k( E K
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 3 R' |& y6 [- A3 a
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 3 {! ?- _% I8 |6 j' b7 }% N
0 Y. ~6 M' v: c! D6 |% H% SThe draft budget does not come out until November. 3 j$ a0 L' W5 |0 [5 p" C1 `
: G* }/ T/ L+ A; y9 E' R"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.
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$ v5 J' Z' o' X1 Q1 P' F"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 5 J+ X2 [& ?) D; X" t! j
1 Z$ i5 a. u9 l/ Z7 f* u4 s! UMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ( d8 ~* J `$ R+ Q9 X) n( J
7 @- Y6 W9 f% _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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8 h9 A0 a3 [$ K"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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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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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. % \2 ^; O- Y) R. C P2 `1 o
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 4 c& N3 g" S, W3 k. [
, J) R8 N. E$ X! {"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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% \+ R9 T& H/ U+ g4 x$ v3 x! HThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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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.
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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
