 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike8 Q0 o5 F1 H; e% Y, r& N( f' L
. P Y- |5 n3 P; E, I4 OThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 9 l2 C& M% V8 ?* M; \0 f
: T) w* l2 l( ^( R6 b0 L8 ?
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.
. O. k/ @( e. K: Z3 ]! h3 E) _. p! Y, a/ k7 b/ R K
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.
+ u D/ u# a5 w- P; y3 v) P' f2 D
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
/ A9 e6 t+ |3 w0 q, ~$ A; O1 p7 F: i) B9 ?& N5 L/ G
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates0 P! o3 V1 P( i: M, P
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
* `+ |6 l% V2 ]! z% L
- ]* u: r$ e' b I5 `$ r1 CA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
# D) L8 a Z# V- i5 ~! X: p3 }0 G9 W, \6 a( y% `& O4 N2 U
"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. ) [; O" N+ I2 H+ U# R5 Y S
/ {% I5 y% ~! Q# j* D# F# ]
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. $ C- {/ |, L3 X# E
( \. ?& J- ^4 [
The draft budget does not come out until November. 7 @1 [2 `: @- `/ }+ ^! l9 F
/ S$ E; D- C s, v4 P5 X" 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. # G8 q3 O% }) V' a5 |
" f5 l& V& @, C9 L/ u; \' }! W
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 1 W- {1 o3 G2 K9 t6 s& G) o7 u
! D u0 x8 E8 `* Y5 r
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 1 H$ i1 r* J* x! ^: `8 ?
8 P. [2 [: N6 U! _& V
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
) C# `+ L8 s/ |
& _0 c# N! o8 y" r- o"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. $ j7 q( J" A- F1 U2 n
- p0 u% d0 m$ b- GScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. b) |0 x1 g6 s1 _6 I' N9 b5 k+ n
. A, }. l, c8 U3 R/ s: p" v- a- hHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
4 H+ X( `. I) M7 u8 l4 R2 k2 [; N; d7 c- T# M4 L8 A
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. , t* t/ u# G- y9 f, `0 w- C' ^' M
' @3 e. y3 P5 }1 k"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." $ e) \; e, B/ `, L
, A9 C* Q* I* N# [2 l6 D4 w, nThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 1 I& k% ^: T0 A* s& D9 x7 ]
5 }) F# R( L' p5 x* v
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.
) R3 S! n% m6 a2 K8 {! T
% G! [' V& `0 M- ~2 M! tTax 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
