 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike4 p5 x7 F4 y( }: V. R
6 u) z% B1 e/ BThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
) q$ _$ `- t# o' T7 Y' H+ _0 z8 B+ T% d \! Q6 A |4 M/ v$ z
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.
b% W1 C2 K" {# r0 v5 b4 T0 s4 N- ?9 U E) d! j& X
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.
/ I$ u! s) W( c' a. F; B, l }7 z! A5 ]: s B' M( q' T# s
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
. q3 ^- Q% c: F* y- F. {
4 \! d7 d2 r7 j$ U# FCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
t3 u7 \" z+ U7 H5 G% S& Q4 i( V"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
3 R) h/ L# \) ~+ g7 q
# S6 } e5 s! n; ]2 q' Q) xA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
5 P/ B- @: K" ?# }, d' p
Y" C2 r# e) G' N"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
; S' D# j8 c: p/ b9 q
% h5 S8 }- s5 ]; w& ^* e; U( F6 D1 kCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
1 W# ]4 z; f' Z/ {9 a3 Y
; q3 V. W" x; e G" d1 I# HThe draft budget does not come out until November.
- v3 Z1 C" I. d7 U
! {0 P R) p( K* l6 Q4 Q( c9 |9 F"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. - v D, I* P5 [5 Y% N
5 ~3 ~4 K1 V3 k"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." , J4 [& o& n; j% @! j% u
+ I% h5 Q. `$ u3 q
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 8 F$ T" @ O" X2 n
. L% i$ \9 y$ r/ J l4 p* X
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
5 i) [7 u" K. j9 D
/ ]* o8 H7 P7 w8 _! ]) ~& i"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. * C8 U; u: K8 Q
9 U' V/ P9 ?; |3 W' U' q
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 9 d8 c' ]; ^% k5 M1 n. |* `" Z
8 _! P! A5 D' C: FHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
* G! ^) w0 }* e
2 p6 v4 d6 Z# O9 N1 _% K"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
5 _; c' h: B. l! g5 E7 C' D8 B6 ?8 i$ B
"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."
' r+ W$ s; P* l& T5 f* }3 }# X u% |7 i) B# m
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. / ~% [" a8 G5 N, i5 n
6 Y) I( M# Y, ?: j+ C! U- `0 y0 XThe 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.
3 E7 A/ s4 R- h3 Q& U" C. r7 G
) `- y8 L8 G0 qTax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|