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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike$ W3 p% m' ~9 x: a v8 S9 R
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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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. , K- B/ K! C" O
( h" B$ ]$ c# z" j% Z" GMandel 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. 5 `. j$ Q1 H: |; y4 Y# c
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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& q; J, m' e; f9 O% l6 HCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
7 G' t/ ?/ I2 a# W9 V; K5 d"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ( J/ S# K) |* r2 V
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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! S* T& Q ^& x9 z"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 3 _' C. D" F$ t" c! u$ d
$ K, d& N& x$ {; m" GCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 8 f' e m. b: Q0 j3 Z7 Y& ]8 K5 G1 Q
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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. 3 W, G: {- \& x# t
7 T$ R! J4 u6 J4 J) P7 z"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. 7 {% i: L1 B+ A+ }! d$ z- I
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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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* a: s2 N# H) b& I" w7 [5 E"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. / E9 [+ L- U" j) R" J( @
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 3 Y* W, y) l1 g/ B) j K
6 R) b9 o* c, R' kHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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1 A1 o: a0 H4 T$ S, e3 @. [% m9 M"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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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." ( V) N1 p X4 P% w7 J7 v
& ]7 s& A* r$ J. GThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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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
