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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike$ _- \# s* j8 p, a9 x8 v
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ; F! s, p) h% c, i! {: K
9 ~5 T, @0 o' q$ w9 [1 H% FEdmontonians 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. 8 Q) E) I6 P4 R l6 C* ~
6 \) Q; p8 {2 Z0 ^" e! c6 XMandel 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. . |1 l! `7 \( A' g4 l
9 m0 k0 Y2 T5 T5 M$ d1 U"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 5 x4 b4 @. q. D( _8 b- a) U* r
1 {" i6 b$ V% r5 y) ^$ ]0 A2 ^City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates* A* `' B1 P. B, I# X
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. . V& ?3 S1 X8 s. B
3 j) k5 A5 n1 a9 \7 R% U( i. [8 ~A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. + ~% R6 L' [; A
7 X3 [6 y% x7 C$ E8 p"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. & I1 s" r- e8 A5 S
+ j/ K$ k2 Q& J, G$ RCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. % w. r" f9 h0 b2 X" _2 X
- ?7 `& Y- E! C* _ RThe draft budget does not come out until November. $ o6 C- i- K3 g: H% H: Z
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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. 5 d6 @1 g2 h$ I6 y; G
I- L- x/ Q7 t+ J& Y"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. & R7 \& {) X$ _. R# e8 J
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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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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. + g5 }) C2 s; y# d: n( N
5 l( i+ P4 @9 F" YScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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. ]* Y( ?4 J pHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. ! y3 d1 K9 y+ t
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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1 l0 D% ]2 H1 n"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. 3 y9 D; }8 `# x! K' Q! q
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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. 7 _+ o; N2 D; E& k. K2 w
9 [* k/ v* s" K* x% {- P" ^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
