 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
j* V; V- M9 e; A2 F% A) W+ H1 V! _" J
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 4 ]7 T% D- [$ W6 W
7 h) ^$ B, s8 e& h8 F4 C2 X# c
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.
1 E2 y0 n: c% s0 p+ {- m5 j) n6 r
3 i j8 ]! {3 y" dMandel 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. 8 P% v- C; Y& |- T0 `
" O w8 W' Z' }3 e& \9 ^
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. i3 ?0 P; ?( S5 z) w9 Z
( Y* Q* Q9 K5 F% @6 ?( gCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates8 B3 e8 w5 I6 a! J5 L
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. # B/ b M6 F" s" a1 \
" [: ?" \1 L0 D: H0 x5 }
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
! \7 j8 ^: o6 ^% u% H. c* J$ M# p7 |0 j. W
"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.
. f. W7 Z J6 c1 J4 H& o9 k4 p$ Q/ V3 }0 m3 L. m7 {! u
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. % C# V% d0 K! i4 J6 A! Z- N
1 l( y& \5 C s- o* L! @. N
The draft budget does not come out until November.
) H; E& V& ^4 j( c! ?' C
. E2 W5 e) ]2 u# F9 r"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. ( ]4 {1 V5 }( L2 Q3 f1 ?9 d0 f2 H
' Z/ i& B. a8 U0 K; e5 A4 n
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 9 Q0 I6 G& x1 I1 V
& T9 |6 o9 f3 p2 ^. I2 u; n
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. # f2 i! N$ m( o6 A1 ?8 j; `. X
] X& k- C# G/ YHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. - J! d" d7 P0 o
5 d+ y( `( b& s
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. & M/ V# i3 R9 S# I4 q+ _
- ^& [2 W* V& LScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 7 Q7 n; _! Q. s) g# |5 Q: P
. j% O H4 @7 s: }- d SHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. " N7 B3 e! h0 l, ]+ q3 X
8 U& e) f4 h$ k"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 4 |. v& }: [3 t( H$ {' a5 ]
C. Z" Y. c: A# G' Z6 O"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." " [' d) b* r, K. h: `# I
. Q; \! t: A ~' D
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
3 E: z- Q5 G, E% l4 m v) F2 N/ X8 Q
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.
$ S: g, O; ?) X8 U. F, ~; i# H% w1 L6 C& W/ Q0 k& g: f
Tax 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
