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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike+ M) r3 }0 J: Y
$ I. C5 B5 O5 y' \2 hThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 0 q9 e# A' q1 R4 G2 S/ ^) Q
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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. # M4 `; j$ d) g& I
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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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Q9 W, N8 K* [$ G* E0 \2 c"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. " z+ ? O- m9 q$ b
! I H$ N* E! t7 n. U' M$ m5 JCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates# w! i1 G+ Y {+ W
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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$ n% }/ w m9 F$ r9 QA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. / m% I3 k* p3 F# i
7 x# g- c2 Y# W8 P# f* A1 I) C"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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/ t' `' U7 H' l$ b+ GCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. * {" D/ Q( u0 ~7 [9 l% }3 Y5 p
& d. y! N# }3 b) T+ ~The draft budget does not come out until November. 8 Z$ i" H7 L! U2 E8 K; |
, _! @: j) G) t"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. ( `( X. E8 @! \/ [- E1 C
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 5 g) j, r$ [9 i8 i$ q
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Maurer 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. & f6 \3 A, ^6 f- u
! ~# `+ h3 O1 r"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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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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% B, }7 [9 o+ r6 l u% V# p, _; |He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. - t% C8 V4 E' \' d2 u3 k* J
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ( y1 k" R; G. |# o
& G: A# a* Z: Q"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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8 U* J) N( y1 a8 X3 HThe 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. 8 [; d0 O, ~1 b% T6 q1 p1 v
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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
