 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
2 g* q9 t6 w/ C" I9 ?
8 R- c' X7 s: _ b4 Z. B" g+ R- TThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 7 w1 z0 }& g- Q6 e& q
9 p/ J4 }7 z6 y
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.
- w2 M6 ~! @( {5 u. o8 J9 e7 c" n; @& r- G( 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.
+ t2 t3 R+ b* {& p u/ |$ w1 \" W: H. Q! P* D9 r4 f
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ) T( t( d; o/ d. l( R
* c' {4 N- Q' w+ L8 z( p" N
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
" t1 h6 Z1 V% v$ U"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. + G# o4 T2 ]" L9 F3 R( e& x1 g
. R, E8 Z2 d% i' l# \
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ' y( @* V. f" _# \+ |4 F) }
1 j- m5 p# c ~' w7 ~
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 6 f0 H( a* S( u, w- H4 l: f5 i
& Q2 m `+ Q# E. P, L; z6 Q
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 3 y( D3 ?% N, f
8 O G7 q4 ?5 F/ n/ AThe draft budget does not come out until November. , o( [# ]3 j. ?# D- H
. B- E6 b4 |9 o9 ], o/ A3 ~"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. & I9 u5 Z4 b) B- ~ b2 Y% m M
1 J8 {6 g p/ Z7 b1 B% k
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 8 i' p5 T8 U1 @# q) g6 k
; R9 ^8 X) {$ v! Q# V+ P+ M
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
9 C; q. K) A, Q" i$ {: T) }
. W4 g1 @# @5 l3 o( W) n" S2 aHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
, g0 T6 \, l- y3 X& Y5 [9 Z/ f' C e, w
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ( N: h% H, L% \
- K( g( A9 c4 F$ p
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
) N2 v! l( H6 M# f/ q) Z3 h0 p; i7 A1 }, k; y( Y6 K) a1 g
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
6 i D3 q$ O( g: _* ^, K. ^6 c* P6 l
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
* |7 G6 h/ [ j+ w; a) s6 n. Z3 v" Y% [
"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."
# a5 p' m9 l$ O9 k/ Z5 t! X# s: e/ i" T B# W$ P1 A: F( \
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. / m, Q: B/ L# m; B
( T j, S- W) O& X- J" D9 i
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. / }* k8 i% q0 F, Z6 I# d0 P' F
2 `7 \0 p$ z- `% P4 P! I
Tax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|