 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike; l4 C* u) x. }+ ?
% ?2 v' U3 i* z/ PThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. $ V* }2 a1 _7 l u
0 \- H: ?: ^) P! \) ^, c
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.
+ j# E( D9 I" O( R) ~5 a2 t/ h" _8 q; M3 Y4 H
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.
8 H* Z2 Q: M+ Y
! M9 l/ v; A6 N9 G3 K"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
/ g4 G3 @( B- Q; x" s
3 |* M+ |: g3 Z1 I* dCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates' x% x9 R2 Q9 T$ M+ q
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
* q6 D1 M0 O [( |4 w7 g+ H. ]% p2 d
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
! D7 g2 O" S& t7 u
6 ~5 Y8 F3 a. t( ~7 S r0 q"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ' Q) S, m$ ]1 U% Q3 E! Q7 U
7 @! t" |8 S3 q8 \! X
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 8 S6 s: x4 ^: |7 C2 @0 `( n
: I2 I: k, T0 k
The draft budget does not come out until November.
1 w5 E$ F P" k; i& n
2 d& ^1 K2 j( B& |2 `"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. % x( r: ^, o4 L* M# X4 D
- j0 o3 K5 V' o0 C: N
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 6 ]7 h& V/ X- n8 ~; J
8 g8 Z5 o! h3 ~( A# o8 X* O+ VMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 5 K) R* q7 m9 V6 f" M
' N' d4 D, j4 q% d0 h( H
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. ( _5 f$ B7 C/ M
! I5 P6 l* P) G* ?
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. & C2 p- J$ \0 P
+ S7 A) H$ G$ x: `' w: z+ m, XScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
& h* e: d: x" i8 }" p! ` w) U" I# s+ |: k) H+ a1 _0 U+ d
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 0 q2 u+ f! n% k+ ?" `
. D- @/ O0 o$ F: T6 N
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. " d3 K! K8 d4 x+ F) X4 p
( F) `$ t& E3 B. l( h/ V"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." ) Y/ O' @) T7 c- o* F' |
6 P6 a/ k5 t+ ^9 H" I
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 1 R+ {- [7 S# l' ?5 Y
$ |. ?6 ?6 t2 h- j) qThe 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. - `. R. @8 v) q F; f3 J$ R6 R
+ v! k2 Q1 L$ j: b& T
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
