 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike9 V7 @0 z3 B; a8 w8 q
: i& z3 G6 x, U4 t GThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
2 K4 v- v2 @5 c0 }
* n- ?( m: c0 C' w0 C! _% vEdmontonians 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. 2 }! B4 P1 j* `
# o2 d) d! f" [6 ?$ H0 t( y# f
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. ( q5 o0 G8 v# J3 H9 ^4 f
: |; ?+ g4 ^' a; s) {$ O2 L+ x/ ?"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
8 y8 O6 h% P3 r* l% s
6 b5 @* K" T1 m1 s' [City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates1 r, U- B- |2 p% X. l/ G# P
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ; l" N& M5 A) w: [
3 R5 n1 F5 b+ b' IA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
$ ] {$ z% H8 ?; c2 Z. \+ K8 y' x0 Z& k
"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 t3 U/ C& O7 x$ a' Q
5 p9 M( U! {" K+ z8 kCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
+ g ]( e" L0 w J7 I4 G' u% c/ a4 J' u
The draft budget does not come out until November.
. W1 v6 |, s! M! a' Y2 P# K) F2 E' z p
"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.
$ r4 g" f, x$ u: Z4 d% o. _' @1 {, r- \2 x
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
1 |8 \( r( B& D3 N2 L* u5 i$ ?1 J# r% ~' s& x8 q9 K4 ?* c
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. , V! O0 }: |& r
4 Q+ m* y n+ Y0 f: P
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. " P; p( w, r+ _% F
7 v4 L% i; b9 j) U- ?& y) K# m6 G"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
, B& X- N* [ P5 A5 e% I) V% I+ j* H9 U. n/ F8 S5 r5 ^8 M! V
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
& g' b6 w5 q( }; P8 {
& l2 O6 G" \1 HHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
) X# E+ s7 H- ~& @. ]9 X. l' L5 v/ v5 U, Y6 B
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. . F+ o6 c7 H, W
1 s3 m* h8 H' U+ E" h7 z- 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." . P0 N. i8 D$ J0 i" W
; g% T6 p& X T* V2 VThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) _* B- ^; T# b6 W1 y# G
* L% Z* P( _( |. M5 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. # G$ i: V5 B0 L0 p9 r) F
# D2 {- ?. R) ?9 \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
