 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike) i$ l* I& ^$ Q; w) t! ] I
7 H5 a B0 H1 L, @ L8 v
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
5 t6 c4 }$ D p) Q2 D) _/ h) @# n6 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.
6 q# T( E' O; g4 o! Y# `/ t1 [8 Y9 h& n# [$ G0 `
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. / k: u2 ?( C7 j" d; C& L( h
. p; ~% f2 |' v5 a$ o% [# i"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ( N9 G( w! p" C! I0 p8 q
1 }, F/ N7 ^9 V. vCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
# I3 M- B! c5 L* L/ ?7 q7 M- B"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
% p9 z6 }% \3 ~2 D9 g; j* o3 X0 Q5 z+ B u$ i0 V+ F- F$ v0 d
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
# d" h: i' z( I* s/ b U, c* C. X2 H% n8 B- [
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. * L6 y1 w8 a; q) U
5 @5 s6 `7 f. E& R# yCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
; I. `( j" Y Q/ l
/ @( J" I* C9 Z6 {' k: PThe draft budget does not come out until November. : N1 w% l+ V7 K1 ~9 I0 y
0 {- X. ^0 k! C& _+ F d"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
_2 I7 ?, N. e; v) h1 Y$ ~) S, x0 Q6 @
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 2 C/ B5 r( d2 W, y) f
# j6 F& Z0 [0 A% i; z; G7 g
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 9 _0 k; M4 V. t! F
9 F6 [& z4 a l! l# v ]) t R
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
/ j' |+ ^) U' l4 ]5 C8 |- {0 f6 ^0 u1 {& u) h. p5 l
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 1 R( O- G$ A1 h5 t5 S
- \, [' O- G6 w4 S- v9 zScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
% {$ r3 P( r6 s0 j1 c
. m" M' u) U \* l6 `+ EHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
5 N8 W% p" {& @& E( w
% ?; D& L3 l* T) W' t"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ; s% K8 |+ _5 d
9 O* f7 W4 {2 ]+ s' W! A
"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( h* a- y4 S& t; G
# j* p+ H# X9 L+ N R9 hThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ~: l1 H; m# @/ m% G' G
$ [7 z# g$ P' j0 z1 U
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.
6 h, J/ p; c& p9 c+ C% H" W5 W0 u( ?
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
