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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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4 P6 P3 g* U! u+ vThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. . v" g1 _& P" r& M) X
- R/ |: P H6 {* G3 j+ 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.
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+ O7 x* p+ ~# V9 D- B0 TMandel 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. 1 M+ F0 L0 Z/ U6 W! I8 j% R
# C& m1 z" G f7 @+ A"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ' `5 R! i0 l: C2 Y4 x3 k& {3 m( w& d1 I
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
/ a' w. x+ K o Q" p# i3 w! u. D"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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) n) v8 k" [/ m' h: tA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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) J1 S' x- X, n5 ~) m"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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0 b9 s. ^5 X5 ECoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 6 [2 t0 j* A4 f2 ]* ?; |
3 A$ l+ z/ G8 CThe draft budget does not come out until November. ' f: U* ~' ^+ \( j7 w B& X
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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.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." . n5 i) y# {, V" k% g5 p( \
5 }. T, j# H& D/ ^: d6 zMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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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. , O0 p! G, R A' R$ x# u
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ( ?! K! t9 Y1 h5 W% Y+ D* l3 u' O$ s
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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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He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. % a( o0 W9 B- V
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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"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." L3 Y$ h5 z1 b" E
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. . v' n G X7 D
1 H! M8 D% F7 aThe 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. 4 @/ S Y4 c7 w6 [8 o! W
, [$ A5 S. @, J4 O- ?& NTax 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
