 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
- s6 A' B* t# L3 p! `+ S M6 y
7 y8 v" c' c% ]4 I5 OThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. - |! i7 z5 Z/ \
8 ~% S9 d0 e% ^% b- U
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.
+ ?! U, F' a! J* ~
/ N8 J: } w$ u( T$ NMandel 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. + ` H/ \( B: f4 z: U, u* Y
. c1 r, _8 G. ?# [! ^"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. " `2 O* v* f, C( X- G# y @" m2 ~; Y
5 n* q& P- W7 [7 G g3 O
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
8 _; A' d8 P- z4 ], q [' s"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
+ }. [+ ^% m% N5 U j. O
) @ k& ~" M$ t7 K; yA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. + b5 ~- X2 r/ _
% j9 w: ^! l# t) t/ H2 g
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. % G% M) e$ v, v/ t/ e$ e
. j/ M" \8 c$ i3 D3 n2 V
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
1 I7 B3 e6 j2 a' V
/ k4 w0 k4 W/ S* {, t' ?The draft budget does not come out until November.
1 L. H- D7 M! E6 C z$ D" V: l: I C1 f
"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 ~- C# M8 c; a5 t
0 q" f$ A$ T- X"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 2 S4 f0 b) C7 p. ~" \# b
@; X; `% U8 X
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
`3 w9 X& }, o' ?1 m, I
3 q/ c4 u) D; C" T) x1 u0 LHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
" o& f! R7 ~) u0 o, [- I! B/ d5 p) \" E* C
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
4 Q8 S# n" w$ K! p1 L: N" G* V# D- j H
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
6 |2 v0 z* `& p8 i4 I
# H* I/ Q" L3 s8 E- p3 AHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
, h) H7 r. p9 R0 F3 M. ^, P* Z$ c' u
1 t M m9 V* s) a"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
) v# T4 w, k! f% d& t1 {* p4 R2 f1 w9 L y5 `) z
"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."
; n; [6 ]$ C/ c D! c7 b2 R: L5 A+ K& C
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 2 h4 p+ m5 h j) s9 o
: M6 j# m6 O' F5 s! b9 e+ r: r" FThe 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.
2 ^2 e: Z2 f/ C
& ?5 R) |. S. U) P2 e' ETax 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
