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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike% U' p* l7 @+ X4 c' s
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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; Y* p# \: ~6 u; d @0 bEdmontonians 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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* G; V$ b7 {4 bMandel 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. - B- v" z7 Q8 A/ Z5 G
5 K: m: w/ G0 f" `. @3 K! x"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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8 ~' n4 \& t% g$ N- rCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates5 ^2 n+ D3 n" s( d1 K
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. $ E' l& R) j1 \! S0 J3 n
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 9 Z/ b9 c4 d% Z& c" o! t
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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. / I% Y( @! m) ^ T* n
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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. & J3 m1 t; Y1 g: H2 r! l1 i
$ g+ f; z! c% P4 {8 xThe draft budget does not come out until November. ; Z- T- D# z" }
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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.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 1 F/ ]" V' L, W& u
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. , F3 f$ o: ~# O J6 s* W6 S! E
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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" r2 o$ X2 S7 K5 D- O/ q"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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) ] M# @0 ?8 U7 b% rHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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"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."
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% \2 j# j$ v. k7 _4 E5 ~The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. - M% v5 e9 E5 j, t! h; I
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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. j6 V- `, E Y+ y
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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
