 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike! {: \2 C \! o9 I# S
( J4 S2 M0 R8 A2 G( v4 ^Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
. Y- B( y! s, K4 j
* j- B9 R0 A+ ]0 u2 G0 X. M& _( NEdmontonians 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.
8 b g/ y1 e- | E- \" w
4 G+ N8 ?% Q- J# j; ~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. 4 \) [2 O# I$ E- G4 T- Y M
% E- M' M2 S& J! z9 a
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
8 C: @ v n y/ q8 V
4 R( B$ Z% @2 u6 x8 nCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
^" K' x) ^% C$ Y! x" m: A( h3 R% Q"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
* A/ @% \1 R4 u3 c, V- Q$ P( l
5 b! W# H( B( h/ W# \1 z# JA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 1 W' P' D& d. x: h( {8 f4 d) p
5 w9 \* W& x. t% G$ n, W
"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. $ r) S5 e* R- M# k2 y1 R
7 ` {& r. {2 s F* XCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ! d4 `, X% K( G; J
) l: K( Q8 f0 d& j) D. ]1 U3 I
The draft budget does not come out until November.
! z1 J$ o9 z) r$ [9 a; R8 Y& O, D" g$ [; B a
"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.
. ~ I* J1 ~1 Q+ V6 ?0 O K7 m w) l
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
/ B* z- W5 Y/ u7 I2 m9 k4 C- H. v3 a8 V! h$ }$ J. J
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
% C3 A9 N) g9 @* ]( R* B" [- j
$ \5 e5 l0 c% `( v9 }4 o: x7 E- qHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
- P' \ w2 g+ p/ ^
8 @ X. f0 B6 X6 l8 L! W"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
7 t, `& v4 J; y2 G6 r% g2 K- w! H. P3 G$ m ]% Q: s! }
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
- T6 G1 ?6 k$ C) y; T% ?; o( w& O( k' s: ~, X1 N; {$ p, n
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
7 {+ P& \3 o! j& c( T" A3 l' E& c Y
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. $ @) G2 Q1 F( l# ^) X
8 |! w" J( x Q4 F"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." 5 t& g- t" d) x
! I4 k4 H) c; B* xThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 6 z* j1 U4 x* j% _
+ `3 t0 n9 S: b# M/ a" rThe 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. 5 s' |1 X$ P, z2 o% L& T. J6 `# H
: X3 o9 J% ?! c- s$ ?) WTax 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
