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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike: D9 T% b. i' h; {/ X" N
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 4 P8 O' X ^" Z
2 O2 p* p3 }1 G: T! QEdmontonians 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. " ^: X. e) K. l. ~' a! K: T
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Mandel 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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' o- E4 L$ r2 L4 a; w4 ^3 f"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. + y- A- b) `: f6 s2 [' ]$ [( D* B7 q
( G1 i4 Z7 U. |2 b7 Q" {; nCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
% H% K6 {+ b0 e4 K0 ~! l' U"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 8 j t$ F# O, ?1 Q$ \5 j1 y
* I7 O& ^1 b9 ~. ]8 h) d, l9 MA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. , L0 u$ T1 X( J6 V& u- J7 M) e, @
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"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."
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/ z( S% Y6 V% w9 j6 e' hMaurer 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.
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" D+ |+ [6 `8 y% _' |"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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8 J7 p# k5 V- Q+ Q" AScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. $ n8 J9 ~% C7 U( j* m' j% _: l
% E2 ~% R$ A. U1 t5 DHe 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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' m) U# i, K; x9 E+ v3 T"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." \" s7 j2 W4 g: S8 n3 K# I- u
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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) f" S" `7 Q8 tThe 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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. T* e/ I. I0 I h* ETax 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
