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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike# K$ `" _+ X# k4 `1 I
8 I+ \) g5 L) D' k) jThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 0 V0 T \) t3 q& P
# T% B( ?, w. F4 n5 F7 ?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. ) S9 k W" G( ]0 w4 F2 Y: n& W
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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. C8 l$ w7 R0 f% s- b, \! K/ X; I0 S1 v
" G. \! Y! L2 }9 ~8 |" M"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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, c" O% E; H4 b `( `# S; QCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
5 n7 T& c- m6 x( A* w, u6 r/ b5 d: X"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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& y' N6 K/ [. B- x) lA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. / l. d e, S0 J) _: Q
/ c" w1 t: l/ g( r* h" z: A"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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8 N0 ^6 g) h( k- I4 `4 G5 RCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 5 ^5 ^+ q: X' z j Z! y4 M
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The draft budget does not come out until November. ! d' X- \7 m: Y) P8 E
# C- b7 k5 [+ u: k1 ~& f2 H' R"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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0 {% g- N; ]) ]/ O; u, f) b5 \- S; h: aMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. : R( B5 Y, ]( G+ O, H4 u
) G( S$ ^" R- s# ]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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4 G/ n, T" ]& ~3 `, H' p"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. , C* z( Q2 H5 o# Q8 r5 Z& \
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. + q( |. j5 i: k
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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. : H8 B) D1 s( t) u
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 8 h# b6 Y2 V& D
7 `& R+ i/ ]1 \5 q# ?5 ?"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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# y1 R8 p( _/ F; [' yThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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4 X u g; u6 [; Y4 KThe 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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7 M2 \# [4 o% W+ yTax 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
