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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike; N8 C( v+ r; N: n2 c
( g9 }5 [6 Y; ]1 a2 SThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. - I+ k4 M, J9 `/ c
5 }; K( V8 D/ Q1 l" rEdmontonians 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.
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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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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ! ?& j/ n# W6 g1 L' B% {
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates4 ?6 e6 w3 S4 U+ d9 _; r! o) v
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. * i3 C" J8 G* O+ A8 A* z8 n
7 q& h2 \, D0 p R4 UA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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2 G1 l- D$ j. V7 E9 d) J"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.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. ; X& F/ O3 @6 y1 R! x$ P
3 F& f" `- ^5 |; Y) m& a3 F"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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# J. Z; I( x/ |9 K8 \"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. ' n! m' W- y# E
2 a, n& V5 U4 l$ j1 a- ZHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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, e' G- ~5 \' I. Z0 i7 q5 l"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. & M" p1 [7 e8 X
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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. 5 f- S7 i5 D! S n0 \$ ?
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ; f4 ^; h0 `8 p. m/ O7 `% c
" e* t, [: {7 M2 [, z- l* x# U! V"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." 6 V6 ^ G& S( q7 x6 k
* a/ E' M9 G5 F; j5 p, ?. P. c& Y; ]2 VThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. # R* [2 ^+ B3 w0 x% q
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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.
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: N; j/ [/ f @- X9 f" m7 t/ bTax 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
