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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike% P" _4 N1 _ }% z- k' `
8 C! e2 }$ x6 {5 J7 xThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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* T5 ^7 f7 G. {: g& S. ], pEdmontonians 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.
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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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' M2 M1 P3 x4 l8 {, C0 V" f/ X$ aCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates! f. m( E9 n8 t: \/ @# J
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 9 ?; |% V! m9 F2 h
1 d n9 I0 y3 JA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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" C: N7 |6 n/ i, ~" Z% VThe draft budget does not come out until November. + A7 y; U, l6 Z* K
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 6 J, t( m+ F; b+ |" n. w4 W& K
* {! Z. M) p3 V- f1 ]2 ^"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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. i% d& k$ L. g& R7 e* yMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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5 ]8 r+ p$ x# A) D! `However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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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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1 ~' Y5 M" O6 v5 H+ n* c. D0 eScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. # o. W; ?) d% J* X9 s
4 ~2 m4 J) d7 C; ?" `"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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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." . c. K, O2 u6 ?' G8 j; j6 l2 N
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. $ d3 t' K" W4 q/ ^
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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
