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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike% T8 V' Y, `$ L( i3 v
0 X1 z! J+ s4 \( KThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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1 z Y) P$ O0 ^( q$ T) 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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# }- A* B. ~$ N, j0 t$ U2 rMandel 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* X$ N, ` U
. t! Z) t/ J7 V"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. % I& y# j& r h- u+ L
# h) X5 \% B; m4 @8 XCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates5 ~& `5 ?% M9 F
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. * l: u W, \ d
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. + Q7 D' O) n( Y8 h
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ; w9 |+ L5 M' f- I" e) f. J! U
8 k& c- [5 S6 s4 F+ M; h8 |. TCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. * N8 b S$ W3 A# }
6 T9 R8 u9 Y- b2 pThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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3 q: R& w! e$ y3 I% R r"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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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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4 m, Y" e% {1 H {8 WMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. % `( d) G, h6 s, T
3 j7 w# M3 l* W% \However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. + r5 O0 A2 j! p% B7 w2 n8 z9 P
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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.
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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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. 1 Y' W' }4 u, G; J; h4 g+ ~2 y
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 7 o" d; X" z5 p3 }, Q
* \% S$ L4 [1 _, t9 N7 C"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." " a. r, Z, [: c' C4 A, k1 R, F, l
' x/ F4 j4 s' M" L, vThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ' ~& Z& W8 Z# I1 C& {0 S; o
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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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- k, N: @" D( y, NTax 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
