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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike4 b: m* J! x5 S
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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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. % E$ c4 i* G4 y6 H
0 k! a+ O1 `2 w) ], qMandel 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. ; A8 X4 e. M2 }+ |8 i- U% j
+ X5 S# T2 \, G" M* `4 I( b+ c"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 2 K& A2 a+ \; a5 `4 {3 h
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates# b5 Y* O F; v2 P( q r
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 4 n5 O* q7 M0 g+ v9 B
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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& {& Q+ \0 e F! i# h' u( h' EThe draft budget does not come out until November. 7 | |( N- { j0 o
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 7 \# @( Z9 f) T+ T) I
5 l6 D% d4 T1 {) F& J2 W"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." " m, t2 o, Q' T- y' Z l9 ~
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 2 k0 [! F' S9 h& c! |# l
" O! x5 }$ R" ^However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. $ q, W9 P5 [& R
5 M6 Q t# a+ o1 @"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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( M' d% n+ s2 F$ IScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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4 L$ ^2 _4 Q0 F7 {6 K+ U: w3 s3 XHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. " M1 V+ E/ j8 j' d
7 `" N5 ?2 p. V0 Y/ o"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. + ?: a1 I/ f6 m$ V
3 d0 ?+ E v1 q6 E# B"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." % Y( C- V- Q( K
3 J" T9 W2 R+ SThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) f& M' e- |: \7 [( ~* M8 d/ E
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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. t% H& \2 }* P2 p6 ~
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Tax 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
