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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ' b. f z( C& e# K" }) w$ M
6 b/ A) y& p9 `" T, d: XEdmontonians 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. 7 |' U( y+ y6 {5 g! V- }
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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. ( o& p) K' p% T$ x0 G4 f
5 O5 I0 t0 {0 o0 \* N: n"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. % M" o, X) \ {+ e' t3 v
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
g; r8 a' \- H7 H; ~/ @$ b"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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% W! x6 R K# d$ l" G3 k3 sCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. * P7 @; T9 N/ s. d- k- ^! x% z ^% w
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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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. n3 G, x2 K! N% h+ N
0 Z4 d& u! g8 Q3 i' j0 N"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. # ?$ M/ R2 y7 n5 Q* G _5 U. \
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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.
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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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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 0 K, _7 v8 U1 f6 P
9 j. Z' g. ^; Z& `' _He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. : A+ E( q, j; |0 I5 Z0 {* j
; f; K. a, D9 Y4 c, \"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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& S- g( }3 |& U"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." : q- z5 s! N) R: ~* e% _
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) [. D1 T, f3 i8 j8 l" w& e: b
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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
