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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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( i3 W* n2 N9 ~, _, [) K) K n% cThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. + o1 M% Q; @0 i. N m
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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. 8 {6 f/ ?! u; M0 }8 T
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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. ( `( r# W W8 r* l( H5 Y( {
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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( P! y9 R, r" F) ]City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates g# C/ n8 {% d) z/ d" r5 _
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 5 I+ v3 b/ [, k* I/ J! t
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 4 G+ z- Y. f# A4 c
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"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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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ! ]4 F3 ]/ q; R* H/ g
" r7 A# m# `& ~The draft budget does not come out until November. . g" k% u! n, c
3 j0 q9 K+ W0 S: o& ~6 B0 N# `"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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) w! |. C' D9 `" w"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 0 \) v$ R4 j! Q0 \1 M6 T; i% u
X$ p& n, j/ _5 D' ~8 }( nHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. ; e; n1 ^" g4 I+ z+ U0 u; i
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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. ( }* w* F- i8 k
7 C! k2 V! C0 H) T* r4 X, aScott 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. K8 o" U7 t: [( v k
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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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3 a0 R- y. q% o"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." ) [/ c) a3 C) n7 \6 M3 u+ \
1 M1 g. D5 k7 Y" H0 K2 BThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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$ t; P4 U. O2 ~) y5 _% e( |, W6 ~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. ) x3 b6 z, {1 f I% \4 o5 Y! n J6 b
% m" |/ I$ l1 mTax 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
