 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike A% H+ ]; r# k) G/ H; I( c9 j
; i8 N( o' I; J6 o, `9 v5 e8 }7 h
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
2 _6 M1 }$ G, ] P2 O) F, r5 g; \9 V2 w. K9 U
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.
- ]2 e6 F1 {9 X% _! @
! u: n. u# H& ~" U. s; L- K" A MMandel 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. 6 V3 ]$ f1 m: e7 u1 ~
! {% a% c+ Z& `- Q# ?"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. : f. L: z) L+ O" [" w
! P% N, x, O. l, V- \$ e
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates Y8 f+ V; i9 {' U
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. - |* J: ], A, @1 @ k% V5 O3 V
. C; }1 M' X# ?! _6 R5 }2 Q% ^A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
& @& U4 l" z4 R0 @( c u s: s
0 Q7 d- ~, a. H+ D Z4 n3 R0 g: {"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
- m( W0 z! ~$ U, S0 R' ]0 x V
* q6 a T) D3 g" X* {+ Z1 hCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
; [" u/ H) h$ s d
3 n! @; _) r5 y: X/ t& Q9 D: hThe draft budget does not come out until November.
0 K* d6 c L2 r; R* J s& M
8 E7 W& Z/ Z0 Z% R6 m2 g"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.
/ g* @( b. K8 C" G2 f5 E- {- c8 @, `9 G6 u+ r
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
+ L4 s1 I- S+ b& s0 J4 L Z# o) k9 N! A0 L j: g
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. * ~& A* p0 j* E
( j% [0 }- M+ m0 |/ y4 n
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
- Z/ y, v; d! A# S; w; I5 t( H* w- `$ \
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. - y& I( ~5 L2 M% T* U4 C
& Y% J# u& L3 r. g3 p% O
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 1 E, t" o& D3 V, Z# W" u% w
4 p* Z, g0 _0 \0 ^4 _3 jHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
; k, H( E' Q/ q3 r
( b" X) q# h: d; R, d- j3 j. }5 K"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. % F( b& q$ K- K/ l
. F; t3 i4 C i
"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."
- {" b% s4 S+ Y4 a1 g1 n
3 _% _6 b% Z9 Z. l) t" tThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
J m5 r/ L) v9 {0 ]
. R/ r1 h/ v2 C5 R0 \5 o+ GThe 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. ; e, c6 y' h6 U2 n: z" S! z
6 ^1 Y) x: k$ [7 D& ^
Tax 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
