 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
6 o) G) Z) h2 m. r3 M$ W5 h1 I" S( O' q- b0 E, O
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. + G! I- _7 b9 {
7 s. G3 `5 V& f
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. ! E6 N& p3 j) |6 F- }+ \6 A
V6 W1 {# t6 ]' p0 RMandel 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.
0 |( {+ \! o4 S: S+ H L, |) ^1 A0 \: n
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. - r Z$ t% x0 [ z
6 }0 u, |3 E: W* f: f! v4 \City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
+ Q! W9 K7 {! P$ E8 {% a' a"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. / Q1 S, H7 Y% E. P
: M. @! `7 V. c5 |A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. * N: w0 Q1 T! b
5 l/ P; r, n9 m( f"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
8 K7 [- q% B( p- P, W% L, J7 V+ V- t, [$ _! R( n# E& n
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 8 C/ F" \" W6 k: L
, k0 w6 C: z6 \& V5 u
The draft budget does not come out until November. 5 O4 w% e+ F8 C0 x
M& _1 K+ l D
"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. * c% F( h# r' i
. `# O3 a& Q, K, E# }
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
& ^$ \, y2 J7 Q9 r9 F1 W2 O& C+ ?+ v8 O
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
# `' M: i/ P- r p9 ^$ Y7 S! F6 x. N; u+ z3 {
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 1 w$ i% b. F) p6 B; Z) c+ j
& s2 C2 V& [( t$ A ^& X. w
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ' _ P& \. G- C Q: c. H7 r: l
. e/ J/ X! q& W$ |' S3 i
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. - L# i: p0 N" i& a/ R: O
& D. ~' `( l# k: b
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 0 L4 F! z: o" Y8 Z# a1 c
7 e# {3 \* _. L+ O3 ?4 L8 u
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. $ x, c" ^9 T1 @8 r5 H
' M. P) p" z0 ?; c1 J9 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." 4 _! B* \: R9 ^' w+ V
' p! I; f/ r4 n) GThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 4 z$ ?6 D8 s W1 G9 n0 K
, k- Q* E" a2 c% q5 ~1 @
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. . f$ u! _* E+ C
/ f. c/ f0 T& T+ p' [7 \
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
