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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike: e) g" ~* f5 X! u% y3 f
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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. Z9 r6 l' X$ v) w! g
' D; U( u4 q, v% ~* @5 n5 RMandel 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. , i% D: L6 M7 s6 r3 _* B
# z1 r v8 h; F5 `" Z' E6 Z"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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' A1 j& V, H3 r6 }City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
, ?4 N, i0 X% m; t. e! ~- H"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. Y# H- G, L U+ p% {
0 x5 j5 ~9 y- a0 z6 o0 ~A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ( u8 L6 Q9 m) U3 k" T/ e
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. & A; I+ W; V) @* Y5 C5 {3 ?4 m
2 J S5 I1 [ a f% p% c( W: t$ vCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. $ I/ w! D6 k- D5 Q g
' y7 \) Q( H- I/ J: S1 zThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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8 \6 j3 L* ?( @2 O"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. + L$ {9 E" O# s4 a# g5 |, ^
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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% T3 N. y/ {4 l3 }# _+ F- s8 fMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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/ g5 ^$ S. i9 @- i E2 U6 ?5 r$ VHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. ' L) O9 Z' m) l7 {- J$ \8 m
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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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. $ p9 i1 G' j, }
0 d5 u/ H( m" A7 S. {( U( `5 H5 T"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 4 n; [ r/ M2 ~. K6 w4 @
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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. 0 N8 f/ O. K; W5 `( h, M0 z
3 o+ f/ k% q9 B E% sThe 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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, I: k* ]+ K4 r- X( B$ _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
