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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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) |+ S0 r7 Y( Y5 Q$ w3 H* a) ^0 p. tThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. * Q6 L+ {& A$ ~7 N
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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. ' r) N$ B5 G' n
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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" M! u3 K! S8 i: v$ d5 h( E
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. y* M3 `* i8 T0 S; A) h
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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, o9 V0 ~! b% V' A2 @6 a& Y"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. " c+ f6 m) x: @. z6 J' b1 s
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 8 Y6 m/ ?' I! J4 p3 X
8 f# c/ |. s* o) X. zThe draft budget does not come out until November. ( c& Y$ E7 V% R& P- K
0 Q7 H- U, Q* r7 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.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 5 S6 r) U7 r; h
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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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. r: v4 h2 d: a' ^
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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.
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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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' S2 a( S6 N# ^- T8 c$ lHe 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. 5 n' A& V# U4 a2 T; V
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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." # X5 F F" q' h4 B x- Y% d A
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The 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. 1 N. R* e( j( w# k# F
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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
