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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike7 x. `2 t& y4 w7 Y; c
* l) @: L+ N, [+ h/ {Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. , P. [0 u, q% x8 Q/ |1 g
6 h. @4 K' Q0 w/ `" Y' f+ iEdmontonians 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. & {- Z) S- u! ` |: f. ]" F& J, f
- s, q9 o2 p% I( l% sMandel 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. Z! P" N. p( \: f; {
1 x. n) L$ o5 C% P. `% i, w"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 9 J8 j% ]% V; k" \) j
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
. t: G1 k/ `2 n% ^2 E7 r9 K"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 5 A/ c& h% l+ J! R; ?" @( Z
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. - @* t; ~2 @! D* R3 c% l' x
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. * U' j! l/ ^/ E! B2 A2 a
# R. E' Z7 F# Z3 N5 b+ k6 a+ WThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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+ i- a g! X4 ?% `* _; `"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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5 u$ D" [6 Q8 W0 K ^0 c4 Y"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.
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( I- v9 P* p& ^) c4 LHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. . N( q( |2 h) _+ b8 U( S# j
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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. 1 D! ^ ~6 k0 L* J: s
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 3 O, r9 [2 L4 N% U# g2 V. N
! J& t) Y2 _% S0 Q7 [! i4 GHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 3 G: {+ X* H4 g
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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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"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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( H7 c* G. [6 B8 r( sThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ; R' f9 G$ g5 K1 u
: ]* I1 `1 q& E1 {3 nThe 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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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
