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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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( i! b! U! R& E) v3 y9 yThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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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.
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, Y. ?! g" N! AMandel 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. # _0 u- x: V6 f0 m. t
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
$ S5 v2 u) V4 T) P3 D( d"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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- f/ e4 I q* I8 v4 aA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. " A: L+ { }1 z9 c3 s3 _3 d5 T
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ! ^+ v2 g. B- {
( P, i6 ?4 N' bThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. . s: A! d' E. S
8 x0 T2 @& p' K _: P"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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( \# U. f' A/ {) Y: IMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. * N* X& g: z, W
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. - s- j' r2 g# a2 K- m" i( k3 z
% i+ t/ H& T$ gScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. $ X( s7 ]* C W# Q2 \$ s" s& q g
6 H2 \9 J7 {; q7 J/ Z- rHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ( P; o! d3 j* L- t. l: b; {
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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." ( ], z$ t, I" x! F( |; s9 |
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. / j- y F7 K' F5 N1 j. O* W; u
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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. 6 n7 F& U" ^+ g
4 g% w. T; N- J; uTax 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
