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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike# F* L. T6 a$ P" P8 }1 D% g% x
" N2 \. B5 q3 \, B2 rThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. * P. d4 i- z# q3 x% ?
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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. % P8 z) M& y* f% Z: |8 R* b
0 Q" A$ h3 `# E$ A( O) s/ uMandel 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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2 ], d2 t5 z J$ f"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. * w3 Y. U0 L7 X( V0 e. l
" ]3 Y& v6 y( f9 `! U* xCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates% C' l N5 s" a* Y0 ?
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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1 h$ o$ `: m; z% K7 _) ]. IA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 6 q- j: |; j. A* W; D2 y% Y. d
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ; _& E: q5 F/ Z. S2 J8 J6 n6 }1 K" f
6 A2 m0 {* r' x/ |) Z% K: YCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 3 [6 b4 @* X# a
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 2 i$ J. j1 r0 k7 n' |6 J; K
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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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# c E( H5 e* J6 z9 u# w"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. ( z1 ?* p, [/ f( ^% W
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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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"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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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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' v3 E" u8 A, t! hHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 5 G6 S+ x; n3 j3 A" c9 i% u& ?0 ]
$ Z. k! [+ A/ [7 c"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 3 e. v% J* U7 B9 Z. [$ N
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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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9 t2 l2 y5 R# q! L5 B* y5 _5 e% m, YThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ( ?# q7 x* c$ {! s
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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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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
