 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike# B$ \& D/ }2 F' t3 `8 B8 R6 P' J
5 O. T# u y6 o: Q) vThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
# @0 H! [1 j$ \
+ Q5 X5 F" T6 h) ?( y- bEdmontonians 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. " Z: g5 V+ M: O* s8 \
1 V# f( E0 K |0 N
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. , M5 p+ X0 X& g' Z) ]7 t
6 t* Q, A- h' u3 |
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. & m/ \6 Q9 q$ p |0 ?! y! E9 U
& f* j" a. ^% R: C9 O, N, l
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
: E7 ]" M q* z. J" _ X" `% k"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. - x C0 x+ U7 y L
1 |0 N: N2 t% |1 k( X A$ b3 H
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. % S, h* ^1 {. V( r8 j9 E; w7 d
Q) c' ]; V4 s3 D1 ^"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
9 s: E2 T3 p, y9 d4 Q
# v" c2 x" U$ Y: i0 m4 jCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. + m% c5 D4 X& k3 r& @' y
- k/ ^6 E- G1 U/ |* XThe draft budget does not come out until November.
9 F* t b' f- R6 Z3 V, x; O! C$ h+ {* b, G* j& ~, A4 R7 R
"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( K( W2 |7 h. R( m5 @! E7 D$ e1 O% f. |( Z
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 8 f! ~1 l9 t6 w7 p3 ?9 F
" F* R8 ?% A0 c5 B0 {* Z
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 0 B% H2 m2 |, {2 l, i) g
- l' N$ q$ R# x. THowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. / G/ n+ o! _$ O" B9 |' P
4 W8 u$ O# E t" L: f
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. / H0 y$ ^, w! }) L9 ]' r1 c T9 Q
$ ^ f) b% M) G* V( t$ O5 ^Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 7 o9 u! S$ R2 h3 G% \
; _' N- u# u; D& F
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
9 C( k2 ~; i0 Y: J) R& V
4 D( Z9 \! h0 N3 F"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
* ?, v0 u: J: q: h, T6 I# X
0 U5 j( h9 d* t9 `% L! Q"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."
% h# Y/ z/ Z8 O- Y% c4 y9 Y% G/ a
) G5 G2 ~9 A. CThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
/ \# N- p( X6 ]; H( @1 I& i; f5 a: F! w- W
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. 4 Q( k& V3 _- t! a9 H( U, V5 p, g
- G/ t' ]% y# UTax 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
