 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
& f6 F/ V* r* I6 w! T" @6 B4 \: ~, t" s0 |
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
0 [* G, |& J9 X" w4 d8 Z* w* H- y8 z9 r; ~* A& s. Y {% ~
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. - X. A% z. }6 C1 L; l
! _7 [ X. D3 h" `3 Z& k/ Q2 F: nMandel 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.
/ t* g5 y9 k/ `
* c0 G! \5 ^6 V/ U% Y"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ) e) z7 S. ~6 B. |7 J, t( \
9 o! T% N0 ]. u, ICity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
6 M8 @9 q+ d) V! a- L3 k"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 3 u6 G) x, ~/ S6 _' r& ~
5 a P* t- n D# VA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
% K( H0 P6 ^, G8 ~# G
: F8 F; f1 w: J, L% {# v"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
+ h4 M* G& \/ f4 f& G$ Z
; n/ p8 W. _* c+ m) ^4 u' K2 X, ZCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
& D' [& |( y( X; S8 f0 T$ R! w4 }2 [ b
The draft budget does not come out until November. " \' I9 b0 e8 B* E0 i5 Y
: S" g; i7 y/ X2 u' S"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. 6 Q% O2 ?* }0 Q- x5 V
. K( \$ A _& U
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
8 B) B5 r2 k7 }6 c; ]+ |$ e, V5 Y9 j V% y: t
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
7 e5 R5 l3 K) ^& P* `) D' \! j4 g9 ]
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
- R5 u0 P# b' s9 y6 _9 e% H. _' X- q4 I, D
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. , Q( b0 k! K$ N5 @$ K! O. E
' g2 P2 r8 j2 }0 `: Q
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 9 V m% t5 R; ^6 `8 x4 m* A, ~
2 A2 G0 _7 c u9 KHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. + g+ s/ k& [" x' z7 ^1 \
' W0 T: H& e4 f. V4 h3 j6 K"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ) T8 O) e# W; Y s+ V6 L+ ^
( ^# ^1 I% \8 j% j3 I9 y
"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."
) e7 p" N# W R$ z2 H6 r
t+ W, L! K" {The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
' o' R7 }, j' x9 J$ I: A n/ l/ s- ?9 ? _ r9 X: ^0 _% ?; T
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.
: J7 o, E. I1 o) r: V, p5 D* N g7 K8 y: H
) V5 B# P3 h4 S3 f5 S# Z0 qTax 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
