 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike0 P- @' h2 q# D: m) v; o5 ?
: b1 i; s; @8 p) x& bThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
! D1 o$ U* W* v: m" k( ~# r* l4 |
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. ( G. D: q+ Z* r8 G+ X$ {3 G0 W
3 Z4 U0 q+ r- @" ~! d1 _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.
4 }7 Q4 o0 t) B$ X/ W$ |/ h# M( j' D! j$ J+ L
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
* w& o* p9 L: R, E7 c( c+ z% i3 L& _0 }+ d0 L0 F' T
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
. s# O# u: ^" \' H8 A" |% C2 w+ x"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 8 d, e+ l( y8 y9 L# a4 l
' V( n, t* P* R+ Z) M" l
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ! Y# T* q0 d4 O0 i
) V! b& h1 r0 c7 \# L0 B. d"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ( B+ s. b# q& r
}6 Q/ t; I' v
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. : ]( D/ [4 m# R3 h( }2 G
' m' ]9 p- L2 u
The draft budget does not come out until November.
2 \, e. T. E" x- P7 a/ t9 r; j3 H3 z4 i
"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
, f( t: p* w, D) X5 t% G) n, f" U( N7 U0 j
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 5 |1 K* D: B9 M: {% T2 B
; g# R" D5 U6 Z9 [) }7 c
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
1 x0 z- O8 P) |* X6 q4 C& `# g! H: Z4 R! i K9 b# B* v+ ^
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
1 H/ p5 Q' l$ z4 y9 f Q
0 J- w+ d9 q* }' V"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
) Z" M* o( M5 }
6 n S8 T8 _* @9 u$ ]+ r: ]Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ; @- R' B8 k$ M
% F9 O' l( E$ q$ ^% p8 fHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
% H# I5 E% [0 P; d% E0 n) o
. E9 R$ `+ N# y7 k$ L$ @ f$ j" b% _; S. n"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
/ S: @% O; s. L3 C3 s( C& }' Q7 k% v9 C/ y
"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." 7 c) I; ~& u- ?% [0 w1 R
; A. C. N, D8 f/ M
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. / v& a+ o$ x0 c
7 j% T9 V! k/ F
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. 1 E- e* N7 ]+ Y6 }7 \1 S( {
- g4 F% c: D7 T" d5 r7 @5 x% @! N8 g
Tax 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
