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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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% e4 C4 C7 Y3 S. `# zThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 0 r t l. `) c, r9 M% |8 G& a
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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.
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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.
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2 s7 G9 `4 }/ I2 B% O"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. / ]( f: P2 o8 u, k
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates8 g; K; G4 o' O8 ]$ j# ~" f
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. - a0 \. Y1 {( N" {7 k' Q4 Z2 p
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 8 L9 E# V: `- X `9 _2 h% v
. N. r' n" K0 H4 r"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. ! e; P- v$ x7 c' U8 N+ U" {' q
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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3 S ^* i) Z! Z7 H+ V+ ?, e1 v3 l gMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. / `6 P" W9 ^5 P; H4 d7 M
7 i( c8 j/ d' C" eHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. + F2 Z2 D: q6 J& J( z; K
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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. ) \: T( k, Q. @* Q/ ~
D2 R$ Q7 q1 Z! R9 J; j4 XScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ! @6 s+ k+ w' K8 h \0 o/ g k
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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.
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* W$ n0 m! V/ D"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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! w9 m: s& e! v% {& P+ S"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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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) u$ I- S/ ?6 Y4 i+ v8 C5 N- B2 z
3 ~3 J# K; ^! C! E- U0 f' LThe 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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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
