 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike. y: Q* c0 W- J6 B
, @ B* T# X$ h0 Z
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
6 ^- z1 t B* a7 C6 n: N
) B7 R2 Z3 b% r0 X; w0 u& u' yEdmontonians 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. $ b! P8 c: l7 j" m
: c2 X$ f& V0 ^% p/ n: e! H* 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.
4 E* k! J) ?, r6 w2 U' i, G
3 k: A' F) v# j- w" J) C; K- m* U"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
# U$ }4 f4 ? |0 O: ?4 H% O$ J4 Z U6 d1 d
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
& {/ U' S' x4 _$ n5 ?"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
6 `7 Q' ], N. @: ?2 o9 o
) e$ P8 b) g8 X+ E* z; S: I" vA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 6 b7 A; s" K) u# Y' Z; i) d2 T. X
+ b3 |. X2 M: x8 O W8 R
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. - ^. X. `" Q3 \6 k
) K4 q' J" q B# A! ~Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 2 r1 u5 g3 E. j) {
% k# D; W+ N! B9 h, ~ L
The draft budget does not come out until November. a* d; Q/ ?4 \/ Z* `9 I( v: K
8 n) {8 h# X: w
"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 0 d4 X% V2 j) C+ j7 Z
9 D# x# c5 I, O2 ?3 m: a/ t"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
; `7 x3 n' v3 E8 x4 p; I" [' B" S/ g
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. & ~$ m6 c- F1 v! N8 w# B- j, c
+ j, O- ?- z$ i/ f1 z: D. ~However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
1 K: c8 ?* {5 s% K k/ J, R6 } o( q8 i" g `4 d5 c
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. , b- ?+ E1 I' T6 } D% V; v( V
; H9 F, I* s% O4 [& n$ v
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
) ?$ A2 A' W9 J5 a, y8 n9 [2 C8 ?
( f" Z' E2 h9 v7 fHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
6 g: P1 m: ^' G) Z
. U/ K( W3 j- c, n"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
Z' U3 o- j5 s, e/ `: A$ @
: g- P# v- f& D. a0 M"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." + y9 S! Y6 Y' w* t
& v: @7 ~* N6 p; [. z7 D! }The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 7 D" a6 s' E, ]% M
+ E) I& A6 E) X
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.
S) a& c- l$ i& P3 Z/ d8 Q7 C. t
, E7 B: v0 h* t6 ?. eTax 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
