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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. 0 \3 I( M6 d0 W
6 \( j2 ^. Q7 ?9 }2 a* n. JEdmontonians could face a "scary" tax hike of up to 10% next year, Mayor Stephen Mandel said. That would be the highest property tax increase since the 1980s.
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Mandel tossed out the figure yesterday following a presentation by administration that outlined the intense economic pressures the city is facing as a result of Alberta's economic boom. + m' O) N5 }* L; y) d
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates, r: F' r, [2 B- ~4 ~% i5 z
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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, S" Q: E! Y8 }: [/ QA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. E+ \) i6 n) J# m H, n9 O' z; M
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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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' V! W+ }; E4 Y, ZCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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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.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." * w# _- s6 B% x/ Q3 g1 x
( X6 R/ T2 m; ~/ r8 Z# P5 P6 eMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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% r: ?" t) Z3 aHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. / t/ \) ~8 y" y# c8 ^# |
/ L2 h& J5 a$ I- y5 |$ q"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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4 Y" E& P) x) _' c( cScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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He 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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" C: p+ W& h2 g! y3 V"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ! K/ S$ I+ p& B4 T% B+ q
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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." 2 ]- @+ D s$ e& Q) R
; o1 `; r" ?2 TThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. $ Z$ D5 x0 M5 `" ]: \
4 Y2 @5 @+ f+ g2 ]. t5 u) WThe 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. % s6 P$ d* |# s6 A/ P: v
" P2 p$ C1 h7 m1 o( bTax 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
