 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
& o& ?6 S# y+ _2 Y- u" b2 S% A; E! c4 @ C) i' e& f9 C0 c, s% [; f! R& p
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. + L7 ]& _+ e. y$ B; q
: _0 i0 m' `* c" Q% w: w, 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. % v. H/ Z+ [% [; @4 V
/ |' J3 G- d* r3 W2 O# _% tMandel 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. 7 P, f# j$ U3 f# j8 i- D
$ U% A0 O' s. E {1 X& B7 _"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. $ c; H2 |% O% ~' w5 H3 E* j7 J
# Q( T4 G" b9 K3 T5 }
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
8 y! W1 l$ N* e: {2 W! X* C8 ^"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ; F- X0 ?$ D# X' z; `4 x: M9 G" T
y3 a( ~2 t* z" M! B9 wA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. & d8 {- v2 H9 s5 n
! C! U1 S: [: T% G4 V4 s# p"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. * t; }( h0 I3 t) L+ O: E3 J! M
- }! z4 ]- d+ X+ j$ x, `% s3 h
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 0 a! {7 P6 x% l; i- C
( ]1 l$ N5 [ F, C: L0 x
The draft budget does not come out until November.
) ~7 X7 C: }! @1 k6 R( U; F. `/ \
"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.
* L. w/ Z4 t( [3 K9 Z. C
6 O* A2 j! @. \+ `: g" g8 e"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
1 o2 g3 Q" V E5 B1 T
' G8 c8 E/ p- ^! T; m. F0 ^Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ' K( j& q* t5 C0 S
1 }, `4 n% r( F9 C/ b3 AHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
6 u/ v3 S8 l [0 k2 ~4 q: k/ ^; W% Y: N+ j2 O' g* w
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
" I) F; P* G% ^+ U, c5 c2 j# z. E% ^# j% N! W+ p O \* g: [# |7 {0 G
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. : C' K' _& Y9 F0 r% |7 K2 e- i9 H# n
, p4 |# [' y7 _ w, e, Z
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
3 \% o- f W: L7 A9 r2 w. |
2 o( p$ E( l* ?9 m% b, [- k5 Z"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
1 B. m3 [6 R, m& v8 h5 ^8 P1 ~/ n( \0 t- F$ r, _
"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." , M [% U# Q+ C: E8 c9 S
' V8 [; ~ h* V2 W
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
8 Y% S. I; X% E; ^9 F
+ L K- r/ |9 N7 _- MThe 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. $ a& T) F! _* S
/ C4 ]: i" ?- N$ H bTax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|