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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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. F6 R( N- M4 i" W% k, C0 rThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 8 u8 H1 @- k1 l. j$ I( {; \+ Q! q
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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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# N. R+ k7 P$ K3 D" xMandel 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. $ H4 u/ o8 C" z
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
- D( u" K$ H$ z2 Q# @"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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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( }5 o2 E9 c0 y l% o" t/ aCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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! q" Z* x' [$ N- d. N B0 ?The draft budget does not come out until November.
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8 |% n' ~# `7 |, ] H9 H1 E( k"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. 8 }# K. S6 N$ q& Q
5 f1 C. }7 D" m- m+ q* j"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 0 y. O% A& w$ k( O
: i) Y& ~8 X( Z+ r. t# ~+ bMaurer 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. ! q4 i2 }2 p8 B% j
( r$ a2 O) c7 `; v w"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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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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6 F1 M( E; I" cHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. p7 v+ j- R. S1 C8 I% p" p# @9 M0 C
, w* t6 A( z D! p* {; v7 O" a% u"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." ) G; B3 R- T, t7 |8 v
t( q" h9 _' ^( s+ I. OThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. . i# N, c1 Y ^+ c. K
3 s9 y/ r. F- \/ eThe 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.
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O2 Y8 _" c% ]! _- Q4 pTax 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
