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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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/ L! c, V/ U1 N' k6 PThink 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. # m6 }7 ?$ n& {
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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.
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3 s! C6 }! B. W: z% c3 l5 \' Z"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 6 I5 d; `; L+ h0 o% q
" z$ v% f- a5 ]; [City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates4 `9 N0 u5 X3 R; Y8 W4 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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 7 O: B6 J5 k9 L$ {+ D2 A6 }/ Y
( @+ y1 k7 @- }7 V' ~! g& Q! r0 NThe draft budget does not come out until November. 3 [: e; J. s9 M& R. w
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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.
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, j# b$ V3 g: H! x4 U1 \- V"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." % u1 `0 }! ~- f* @" T2 N
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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c3 y, g2 k" C2 X6 nHowever, 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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' \6 ~4 ~6 }: O7 ZScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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6 m$ o/ ^# Y$ T. VHe 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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# ?! M. R+ p3 P6 e"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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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."
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. c% U" D% N) Y" AThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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* m* n- _! E: t9 e* ~7 rThe 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. ( k5 s; J0 m; \9 b- a7 ]
. ~3 w2 Q3 A" l8 v4 N% j0 hTax 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
