 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike9 E- X: Q+ u) K J
2 P+ c; b( h& @/ V
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ( q; s" P `6 u3 {& Q
- v8 [( L5 G( A# tEdmontonians 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.
: s0 D$ Q+ S2 m6 N7 e* Z; J" H4 S
. @+ e* e1 K$ z' Y1 V& ^- VMandel 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. & Q; ?8 e l4 Q& _ J- H, U
$ o% n+ ?6 [/ O5 D) Y4 ^, X
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
2 {$ D9 J" R. Q# B: a9 ^+ Y) ^
, y1 a7 l$ N' o$ t# H4 ?City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
6 d9 M+ w' `; f! O"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. & z& U5 {8 b5 U
, ?$ T1 o5 C2 b& H8 z+ VA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
% w. n( S! w8 d( E5 B, t6 w l0 X5 d. f
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 4 W1 h; k! ~0 n m' v
( Z4 |& s; f% z3 n! J1 \5 [# iCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 1 @* @4 R/ X5 h& z0 j! u% E
+ d5 n: c; C! \' L/ \0 _The draft budget does not come out until November. ' G( v& d3 K' K
; [2 X( L2 I* i2 E8 f7 o
"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
: w/ Y% b1 p! h5 K2 D- h1 Y/ p9 p" ?# \- D5 E+ V
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
+ [- `8 _! Z8 B; Z/ e) Z- Y" @ S/ R' U: F7 Q! {: K P5 r8 Z+ g
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 7 ]0 Y: T* R, @9 f' f4 a# R- P
; A U: |5 G1 O' k2 q4 }2 a% fHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
' U( F v0 Y% a% E
; f+ X% o! m( ]7 I8 I* ~"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. . ?1 s! e; Z. I: K: R/ v! c% N
9 y; h$ J; w1 [& ]( B _6 iScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 9 Q8 x. e7 ~0 k D
9 g+ }6 A- O% ~4 x, GHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. + X' E2 D, {8 Y- N3 d0 t
4 q# G) \/ K" s" X
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 7 i D$ u5 [6 c5 R/ B% s
: E' \9 P7 Q1 ?" G0 q8 C! V2 d"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." . H* ]/ ?4 s0 ?- ?
0 e+ W) l' X! \, w' y7 c$ o8 HThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. / h4 t7 G9 G+ D& ^4 I
, E, r, @' W$ J( I8 Y
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 i& h. e* l( {6 i* c7 e b t% F# L3 |/ w7 z) H5 v
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
