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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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! Q i9 u. ?8 b, F& q3 o" p( \Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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6 V% Y& h0 l# L: x1 b; G. U# ~1 ^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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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates: }* Y. k' p+ T
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. % R4 P% ^% j2 @0 d! f9 x5 L
% G( E9 I% Y9 W) V: pA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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: Q$ M. c4 v8 \$ j"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. " b7 t2 U9 K9 t0 @) O+ o1 c
3 F# x) N0 A' H3 e1 _"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." ( O1 u9 @* E; x5 H3 m
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 9 @! [% t; r, `, ]* Z
* O# D0 G: J$ C- g) [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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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 4 u5 E$ B6 N0 C) J4 l$ G) |9 ~
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. / E: b9 X% O- B: |/ t$ Q, M
1 u, S* s7 k. B! f4 H1 h3 e+ NHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. f9 O* o( g' P) M: G( {
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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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" N% P3 K8 o! U9 h2 Y" c% \"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." : q) P2 X; C! E# e
2 X& {4 T$ C9 }4 `' f$ D5 dThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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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.
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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
