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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike; \% O$ H2 p7 X% H- i9 m5 J' ?9 K
& g( \5 P: V: g6 L0 D8 kThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ! X* t. X! `3 g9 k& Z
# u& U5 W; ^9 `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. 3 Q R- \7 O. g$ r: r+ x
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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. ; Z& i( ]+ V$ N& A Z' x
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. & O1 c) d z3 E1 C6 G
, p/ U% a( e" }City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
8 I6 E. n3 ?( ^" F"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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) D$ }* z9 s) g8 _( W# L) \A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ; ?5 {2 i) r# b6 ^ b
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. # G( k( q2 G6 G! }; E/ @9 k/ N
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. & K% u8 b+ _! Q) ^; R# ]
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 8 Q* U- Y8 x3 p3 _& w- _3 {7 Y
) M& z. h4 N4 @% UMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ; Q7 r! n( I0 ^
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. " r* w- k- X& `3 ~
0 b! F( W Z! O* k3 q"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. - ]+ u( C& m( z5 _2 i. [
* j, J/ H! s, s- |6 kScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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/ q. o$ V. g8 |( P: cHe 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. 8 h3 M" a" k+ L7 x8 X5 F
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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."
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# U5 H8 p d0 T+ S3 e8 S: T6 ^The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 5 S# k/ `( r: A4 c4 ?; P' \) U2 C# }
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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
