 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
" r: h3 h5 ~3 {( T8 f7 o/ b! i' m: [- h- \" B" Q8 N
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
! n5 l3 ^4 j# s ?2 Y9 A: Z, B' t: Q" a* T
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.
3 m9 B6 ?7 U: F) x
4 w6 n% M' c, v6 w+ u+ r. m8 K4 p) gMandel 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. 6 s. X, {+ |; F4 P
4 Y$ D% g9 k* c
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ' a0 k& R) ]# K& P
8 U" Q' m) p- Y" Y v( Q$ |
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
$ D3 U3 A4 F2 A; K6 j; {! G, B"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
* v; E: _4 q! Q) p& x3 X
! ~3 c( I' M \: z; E9 [A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
2 ^! @% g' r& |; b* O3 X! e7 X5 K: w: l
"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.
/ A5 s5 K# p% \/ P, @6 ?0 T
: W) j* I! D8 ^6 s* u7 n yCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
( {) M2 C2 r9 Z0 Q' k5 w( c. E8 b5 s3 B2 U5 @: e' l. X
The draft budget does not come out until November. 1 k! F9 x; ^2 X' _
h' ?0 ?0 \$ W8 V6 J. Z/ s" e! U
"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.
+ A5 x9 L" G' l0 u. |6 l1 y0 m/ S* N; ~0 `3 l( E+ R
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." - N9 N6 A; D4 J
k V6 S" u# @9 l* u/ |& o( ~
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 4 K6 H6 k4 P( f
$ ^4 Y' e6 D$ y" |
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. . m1 F. ^, Y& y7 I6 n' ]. f# n3 o1 w) b
( ?% i4 [" g1 o) N. K- F"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. " {" v! I4 Q3 y. Q$ y4 ?. d. h
1 z) d* N$ s7 T$ H. {3 VScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. " T$ [. j% u5 [6 f6 R
7 W# w/ N* U% X& z: o: l7 vHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
- V1 S6 \: r1 m# \9 J6 |& x I5 S
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
6 `7 x3 E! i% K# w) F$ h
, }. ^0 k) S; |% B; T"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." ; y* G4 I/ V, Z, i
! q- p8 V& ~& x2 K2 R* R
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ! H: x& K3 _: g2 ?2 P6 l
& [0 `" p. _& \9 ^: y7 D
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.
! M& c! B1 u2 j" g
( P0 R! n) O3 ~. \! MTax 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
