 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike- M2 v: G4 j% z
+ Z* L3 @: z4 ?2 K7 O5 G2 n7 ^# _" O
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
# w% c+ M N) t: I9 w5 R% x* C* K7 h- |
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.
$ n1 J/ v0 Q2 c; W1 C& l [& o9 Z3 S# s, | v6 B# \) u
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. 1 N* l8 f/ k& k$ }; @; n
- V; W. Q# o0 k"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ! I. L8 u. |% n
3 T- d# x2 | ~- b9 Z: v
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
N$ I+ p' P& c"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
2 }) F; V; Y! @8 j) n' s/ Y( G- Y) Q4 z' e: K5 I- Q
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
4 a. ?4 G( D, U" f# _- M/ E
" ]2 e" l( k* g/ t"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
5 x7 M `6 h# n5 J3 N. Y# p8 G: L2 S9 o1 h7 q% |8 y
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
* _5 e& K" x& e* z8 |4 z6 H2 S& e$ S) E# h6 m1 L1 j
The draft budget does not come out until November.
, u/ w5 e$ A5 S# I( ^+ ^8 p, j1 X% Y7 P6 z( x; X
"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. ]4 m( o. \; C6 U) m) T: H7 E
+ g8 X; S: a/ |+ q* G& P5 Q"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 0 n _! Q6 J8 q+ O5 M5 V; C
5 `/ ^- I/ q/ h- u5 x& X4 i* dMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ) [1 G) |, C, e
7 x% ]. y' U1 w7 }* U
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. % y$ x( o0 u0 ^' s
1 ~7 n* T3 T0 d6 ^6 U+ g"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
) ?) [. Z# q$ X* N% s$ K+ H/ P ?, [
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
$ z+ i- N( D/ A$ B- x6 ]# C
& t+ F- V. d) q# c" X" ?) ?He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
* [; h7 @+ x' r' F# f: ]: d, e+ A0 A) A" D! v% j2 v8 }
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. : }# U) I9 R6 ` M
8 D/ E' Q9 n: I+ H$ p"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." 9 h$ d8 ?9 S& }: p! A/ J6 S
- w7 ^. n* w( o% {/ L& m
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 9 U8 B! r6 D* S' i: @6 J0 X" F
9 j4 Y6 H& R+ c# ~1 Y) s' h/ Z2 ]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.
& T% E7 ?% {$ G" o- r. Q8 x: f9 v$ _( k. A' f& o1 z6 ~/ h
Tax 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
