 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
7 G" k1 Y$ q7 D9 J, V) s& ]: T2 h, t* b( }) ?! U' P! {
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
! y: J: M: h2 l' A( [4 c* H, k4 C9 s F9 h4 n0 v4 X& c
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.
; p& u3 c" ?. R, b8 I0 p: h( G8 Y* k, ~- d2 ^0 n
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.
% {2 y2 g2 g7 Y0 p! f
6 V+ W: o# b' p: x) s/ j& V: z( f"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
+ B- u- k( B1 H+ x! H% ]$ N) ? K0 [0 i
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates1 b/ y" }; ?2 [) j
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
. f% f4 Q6 F3 J; K. H
" U& a% x1 `" @A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 5 h0 t; J) V5 M4 F6 }
4 ^7 F Z8 Y9 ^& L' r
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
: C5 H h2 i {0 \9 y3 |) h" J* N' f
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
, h* ~6 [- X3 @4 t" x
) m9 R! ]; F' e0 sThe draft budget does not come out until November.
% q% x+ F* X N" {( B$ N) z9 W# @/ |7 |. G M% _8 L( }1 b
"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.
! D% b/ \! E0 d0 e+ Z* z2 F; x! N, ~/ h& d2 R( X1 j
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
5 }9 D8 ]' v& t6 d
. H* H( Z/ [# u; f" T; V, u T! QMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
6 D0 A s6 `4 I
* D9 F9 V* z$ IHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 1 I/ _& o, X8 a4 C4 C
7 L/ t: x, g1 M n `3 O* w
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
! {! b# I, F% i% B: G* t }' F9 w; m# A l) g" F
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
3 l( v0 N+ F- L( T, m" ^6 l# [" d
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. , `% ~" V# o$ T( o) k* l
7 h9 h; V+ @- m T6 s
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. O2 _6 M- ~3 J" T
0 \8 ]6 G# s2 Y' }( l+ ["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."
, Q7 R2 V# m( c, _2 C: H7 W
. I8 F9 x; Q# p* y9 z! f# [+ I1 Z& ~The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
- p# P8 l5 |/ E; X: Y( a; g3 R
9 ~$ h1 E' r) W) C# }/ S! AThe 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.
9 u# o7 U* d4 v4 y+ n4 U" w2 ^. j5 E. U5 g$ I
Tax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|