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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike+ `+ n7 o/ x+ I/ \0 I
' o) h5 B. `- x# z6 f. v) R5 g9 iThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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" @& N5 W1 [) A& ]( z) {3 lEdmontonians 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. 3 j, D- V" I% m! H6 \! Q
/ H2 z: d$ E3 J+ S }! 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.
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% P) P! D5 K6 p$ e! N* F+ xCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
3 D. e8 E _- d, P; Y"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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. a$ [' W! D! F e
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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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+ U* \. G$ e0 C/ k7 }The draft budget does not come out until November.
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* |+ }3 h& i1 R) _7 M: S: R7 |"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. " m* _& q0 E! q D, O
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. & _( b, Z* t& [: l
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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. + h s9 l3 C& W7 S" P8 B
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. " O) Q7 [8 {. K' V, m$ M
: E. v: r, D9 n; j! ^3 f% |Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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He 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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"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."
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 5 t0 O8 G/ n7 B5 d) B
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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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( h' c; T: p( _6 x. v2 \# 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
