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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. ( {3 I! k: L8 d( X* a
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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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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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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 0 I1 l; \+ I" G# {5 I9 H
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
1 f& v3 h) A) Z% F* W7 ]"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 $200 a year. ' c4 @9 x- K7 {: x
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 6 c6 ^, n- @) T* N w- {
2 @! Z1 r, t! [$ W. \6 f0 dCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. . ^+ R* _2 N7 J- G& Z- \
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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. : y Y$ f3 M5 K5 {5 y7 R
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." % T0 z/ e$ b2 F* g6 p' r
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 5 A* s# a' B/ `8 N
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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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! z8 d- l9 l. n& [1 }, p"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. " ^2 ^! Z5 e% V( A2 [9 A
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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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- }# I/ n! X6 _9 |" X' P# C( SHe 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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# ~' ~" Y( L( N' b# r) d"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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4 C1 V9 i6 j! T, a, 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." 6 |- b. _- Q" R8 _# M
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The 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
