 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike! E: {0 y/ j4 V3 z8 G
5 l( J( P2 R3 hThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 8 p' `+ |$ t7 r' E% L8 K" Y
6 h, }5 P+ X$ v! o7 T: eEdmontonians 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.
* k4 `% I& F8 R0 n$ A
6 @) N. T: r- t! n9 O1 mMandel 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.
( l* q p4 m! b# m( g' E( ~
2 f$ m6 ?9 b3 r M& E"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 1 I! ~$ J7 h9 A1 T
* U4 z! w' s; \, h3 X8 d. t1 qCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates$ B* o& Q9 ]* _
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 8 q7 Y7 P1 _! H5 Y* v: b& \- _
/ i- P. w8 m* }A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. & G- E* v+ e& s- \
& A( L/ Y) x# g1 `! ]" y
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
1 F! o' ~0 y& s s9 w/ ? M: t Y9 o) V$ Y
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. : h/ c; M3 g$ ]6 K
/ S. r8 @$ [$ c4 V) mThe draft budget does not come out until November. " k+ S" R3 W$ p3 r/ W
* W! d& h- |# N: C! A* K; S"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.
" r& o2 C3 ]% J, o6 H4 G
' t- V) S: T, G( T) w Q* P"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
" X/ H/ D: B5 J* z I" d+ A$ A M
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. g* P1 b M2 a7 N/ f
0 t6 G+ ?7 a/ B& o
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 2 p$ P7 j! C1 O% q2 ^
k2 P3 e1 p9 C) _"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
% n0 n- e% @* M3 ^
' w/ x, x% T' ?& ?, T1 uScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
' a) ?. F: Z5 s2 t7 o- u1 R
4 o+ Q' p2 g3 z. T/ KHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. ) X8 H5 P1 |# N6 u. y% t
6 X' m3 W7 t* z$ [
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
( o9 s$ U9 A% W& [$ {2 k
6 S, C" H+ N8 e( E5 v' @4 ["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."
+ J8 n, ~2 i7 z( t# _6 c2 S2 v8 W% O3 h5 K, u" q/ h0 |
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) v9 X% m: M% C9 d! j: k) D+ k% e9 l
5 p: C) s- \& c2 C) {
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 u$ ^; O4 p; ?! \$ I
) }6 }& J' k) x* v( n( ^: _: k7 F
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
