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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike9 u8 i& I/ N2 b* H, }2 w* y2 a
9 } T' [4 \. `1 j; b- Q8 GThink 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. 4 A. Z3 C: I+ q2 `. G5 b1 S5 |' @
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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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2 M: G1 [0 d9 \"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. $ f* Q# N& I1 ~1 \& S y! M
5 F! y- t4 p% u |# RCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
% }7 f. T' J! H. ~' x5 _- {/ d"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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4 y2 M& ^" K( T" u7 iA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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2 l- r3 p0 _: A6 KThe draft budget does not come out until November. 2 {% f0 u/ g! v2 M J7 S9 R& }6 ]
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 7 ?" D9 v4 X1 S1 @
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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- N$ t" O2 \: zMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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% G5 u* v* L) E/ kHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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0 H! J# P3 o' q% h"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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1 T( {( o" {; Z/ _9 n& m1 s9 bScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 9 D3 @' G' O, p# k2 ]& 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.
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. # \8 U/ k& `" ?6 m2 S* K9 ^5 d
- K/ Z7 ]2 ~# |% ^- ["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." 1 ^" D* S% S' O7 @+ \
5 M( Y7 K4 ?. j5 H1 ?The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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3 j- v4 i) A6 T R; uThe 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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' _# M& f$ c! _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
