 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
/ U) d0 t5 [2 s: x
9 h9 T; t! Y1 _Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
( U p4 u) K: L. f8 u+ V3 j8 Z( W* s0 C, q
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.
8 N+ [$ X1 T' h4 T) t0 k( m: m* ^' D2 s
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. 1 {+ W2 z3 ]9 M: x: U
4 y* E( N6 |6 r0 p3 A* \& |/ _
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
: K% G4 v$ C& s" |! _% `5 M c' T8 S9 J$ g
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates( R/ D- b* S" U$ r) w
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
& M( H( A0 V/ G. G" X1 `$ O& t$ [( x) _; ~. E
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
) s8 y# j# S. X% \" y4 x/ M8 f2 C& T9 P" C8 R7 `' N5 p
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
0 O. R7 t% t+ S4 W; I( j# V5 G
, i, j1 A' e9 @Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. : P/ `2 W$ O2 o, Z ]3 [
, A2 N- v8 l% f8 G6 b$ LThe draft budget does not come out until November.
0 ^: w) |$ r$ J' K! l' }7 `* x( j6 ^8 T* U1 p9 n" y
"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.
4 a0 n4 [( G' d3 y5 D
# B3 q. }2 f6 a( ]7 y"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
J- \0 x3 S8 P" ~6 r" ^+ G6 X
; z' n# [" a+ g- b6 lMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. + Z7 [9 i# e' o, g% h3 E
5 W/ ^6 }) s6 z1 Y1 p5 Y) Z( IHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. & S& p. Y, `, ?
7 h. F' J. P9 Q. l: f"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
% c1 T/ T( d/ b2 j3 ^2 L! J3 K, _0 O7 n, \0 ~
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
! Y# ~1 _, s9 k+ N! ?+ D1 M3 }1 _# _# \' A6 I* u$ L, Z: o, k
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
/ G8 X# p& \& \( S
+ L Q6 T ?2 T. h) ?: N"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
" ^2 S& D T) T& H+ z4 }- |, i# D, u
. T2 | v, X2 f: N6 H% z- j"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." ( | e. F/ v, T- R5 T; G
/ E+ K$ L1 z+ H! z% L: qThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
" S; J g! n# g/ O$ R1 `4 }! Q
2 O5 a1 F8 e3 {4 ]2 x2 hThe 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.
2 A: ^1 K; B2 f, C* F L8 i4 u% F; b- L0 @
1 z3 y# R) |0 m5 d5 PTax 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
