 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike& _/ x, H9 j# c/ n; w
$ }- V2 |8 H+ l7 x
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
8 W7 l. H$ f. `6 A, b8 B8 B1 o* @5 N/ }4 h5 V
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.
, G, D8 g! D8 i" _( E1 X( P" I' S( v
6 I3 r! A; c+ O2 PMandel 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.
3 X8 X2 a4 w+ [) P. R
4 D; M- {3 u% ~# L5 @6 p7 ^6 I"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 5 n1 S& O$ t8 F+ b- i: p1 `7 w
! w3 w; K. |& j" F7 ACity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
8 F7 i8 N$ f* [! e+ `"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ; ^: c! E u1 }. t( ~% `& ~" k
& O( z, v) [) K, n+ y
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 3 Q8 d, z) j8 u/ Z% h7 u2 p/ Y
% ?3 b- G* r# I9 V"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
; S+ j i2 s# `. J3 m$ c" ]6 v& k
/ q9 d& T$ z* s, g" UCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. $ n) F6 j' B1 r. |! {
/ n5 A; P1 {) M8 U
The draft budget does not come out until November. * x3 f3 }" Y* X6 |9 i3 z
9 N7 n, ^& l4 |8 [* `5 l
"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.
+ z1 H( J7 g8 ]! [* N1 ?! J! x5 D* ^) ~6 P7 s6 L
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." $ K5 ]% H" Y# _" y/ y
, z$ @$ N5 ]' v' D6 l
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
6 ]9 o: Q5 s$ p! V$ C3 G2 Q1 F7 h) Y* m$ i+ s
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
5 u+ Q* Q- x% H6 y0 {+ q. S, W
G4 j( I+ u' i1 M; D( ?( J& N9 a"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
( A J5 o2 ~- r+ p! @5 F$ S
" s7 z. \: T/ K5 Q' EScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
* N2 }. b6 N% ^7 l6 A" Z% D9 H* ~: X& @- b
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. % i+ M; L: M4 u- I
3 e, |8 G8 K5 j9 h1 S"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
7 L+ k. J6 J X% r5 L& r! r8 J# i) O% F }
"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."
. x7 U( d- P5 i/ T- i
7 w1 [/ c( r5 G$ v) n- G: {The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
0 x- w, U: a8 f6 @* R/ r$ H* t$ b" w* D8 T# s, X; y% s" N% J
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. ( x+ J1 Q c& P8 `
& `4 i. R9 H1 Z1 h, vTax 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
