 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike0 @" u* ]2 e* }0 {
$ p' a) P3 f' a
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 6 P! d4 x6 D N, G+ F2 i' C ~# A# b
9 |# A- d8 ^ M& d& v3 B3 n. I
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.
) Q* d$ `) y! h" \
+ ]5 N2 ^, k8 Z5 u' M! BMandel 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.
: i; d# N+ x, x
6 ?7 y2 [4 V* |+ \' I"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. # i1 i3 L! ] b7 f; U
# c2 B+ `0 c2 o9 b. v: K0 T
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates1 P. }9 k% ]4 R4 i7 S
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 9 n3 C* ^" U, W% a% }+ C+ d" ]
3 Q/ h$ L. P% f- S6 DA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
1 j1 z8 ]0 S7 O+ a8 H9 c G9 f' a" g4 H: m' H
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 2 X" c9 B9 J9 {# y9 D* m
/ }9 \# g, `; C. A4 Q( c* cCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 5 h0 R/ Z0 d0 u& [
" k- d8 |' w& V5 s9 w* FThe draft budget does not come out until November. 1 v! m: [2 y! Q$ T5 F: w' H9 P
9 T* O$ p9 d$ Z. o. @" M6 l
"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. / e7 q# z4 J1 e8 ^) R' w# m
) J# N( J) ?6 R
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
$ f1 Z, M, }, P0 x
" u, ~6 h0 @! r- _, K h; K$ w) CMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
3 P% i) p B, `9 A6 r, D6 {0 L+ ]) [8 J" B, S9 v" o( h
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
' t) j- S s7 O- I, N: q @4 x
! j! j1 _4 X9 s"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ! [9 e1 f' o2 H2 |2 f) c# K0 D- x5 q
E+ V$ s/ } A1 w. \, bScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
! T4 S! w& a% T! M- y( |4 a5 s M2 K' G. x1 J; A8 c6 K
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
' l3 [: n/ M: f P# m% x0 {$ e. s X7 Z
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
- q. o" r- A/ D+ H" |1 z+ y+ \# N( A1 h, j0 V
"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." & M% m3 Y. v9 l' Z, ]6 G& x# N
/ j' ?6 t% w' C
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
: d7 I: W* u4 B( G# c
, C8 Q( K; R" `# E- y3 C5 @) p, M+ HThe 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.
2 _& i5 O) w$ X- h, N' b- t
4 S3 ]4 D& G3 D. jTax 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
