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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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p; p, E0 i* M# M6 |+ B" BThink 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. , O7 k& x6 U( j; X1 }( e
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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.
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# T* t$ y3 `! q$ v"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ) l- I$ C8 M* H
+ U6 u% L) O: k/ M9 XCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
# M* q' t# s+ n$ b& Q8 C, h2 c- k9 N"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. % L. V M3 L/ y
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 8 G; _; V8 y1 i! h5 E
+ C, h6 a5 M) d- o. V2 \"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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9 ~( _* z$ ^: R0 h8 e1 v% fCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ( A! Z( j& E6 e2 C: K
' W) ?" t* P$ X% E5 |The draft budget does not come out until November. 9 { P" c) x+ ]9 e. E6 {
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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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8 b" w2 x; N& ^: o( p4 S9 m"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 9 U+ b- {/ u" g2 o
* l' O. N7 n) C" V8 z( FMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. , H" A" W# j3 y% D- w( K: j4 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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& f8 A/ A" i+ z* S. l. Q/ o1 p: Q, j4 N"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. , m; v* P- \; ]8 o( p4 L
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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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He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 7 W5 |8 [) L1 ?4 c6 q4 B( @
6 `- z# f0 G8 E% |) _"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. , g2 n3 f& q9 A1 T, s$ G$ m8 T
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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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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. & q i: r2 n# [# G) E8 r2 K$ V
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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. - ^- R% X3 c F, o6 @
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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
