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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike: E9 c* n/ e/ E9 n& y5 n
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 5 q3 n: S' n$ a; x" {: }5 E
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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.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
/ y$ T( z& [) g' u8 E! K"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. $ w4 H( E/ h; Q6 ~" Z
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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2 v% ? [+ L6 Y H- ^"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 8 X$ |5 g( r: j5 H
0 V# O* B5 q( x6 {( V# ~Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 6 [6 U: N, b' Z: X
% N+ B# O! Q3 S1 ]0 }1 K" L( X) YThe draft budget does not come out until November. O" H! G2 U" U1 p' A) ^+ W# m2 w
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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." 9 T4 V7 M i7 G2 U0 z9 M6 r4 v
- S2 p! K, B* UMaurer 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.
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, `. w% Y( ]% _" U3 y) Z"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 4 \+ H8 V+ c/ Y2 P: U* c
8 r- B. i: x: D0 E: [$ `, z3 OScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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( B' c* {6 ?; Y3 C5 DHe 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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$ ~5 O0 i' [( o+ g7 D"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 3 C! v3 ?. m9 e6 ?8 h
) a2 ~& R& X. D0 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."
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ! P! e+ B2 F$ I* N& @* k7 W
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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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+ h; _" |* `! xTax 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
