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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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# {8 s9 |3 w- k. m1 f4 i5 E1 G: B" }6 XThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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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. 4 `0 E" J& I" C. E2 Y' o% \
* H5 a1 Z& k- a1 g/ EMandel 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. w% B3 W8 Y1 M$ S8 ^& ?$ ?) A4 c
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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& o* _9 }* l$ r* N4 E% D5 C! {City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
9 t0 ]4 P$ }5 I0 s"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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: w2 u6 C" `* Y: Q cA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. & F- S7 a' [4 W4 S K0 f
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 4 I" ?. h. A C t
0 K7 \% t0 I _( x' Y8 r4 f"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 2 Y& g7 d" a+ ~' ?7 k( A4 [) p" A
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 3 y* c8 P6 w1 m* X4 C6 p! t
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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" i+ G6 L7 T; O8 M& U. Z"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 2 K, R J- E8 W
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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! @& D9 H/ @. JHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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, [, V* k; f$ c. ~' C! a8 M"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. # I/ c2 P6 U5 J) D# O- J: p4 O
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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." / \; a( o. d" k- z; }3 R
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. u1 O; d- K3 M: a& I, w& T
6 J6 {& o' U- p) J$ L! E# \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.
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Tax 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
