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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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! t8 `& I9 d9 I5 a/ PThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. # Z% i$ O% u Q. @
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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. $ ?4 G) k) H& o+ l
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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. 6 ~. |! h& r. I
0 I8 ?, Z# o# J& q0 ~# s4 i"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. - a A. o& ^6 H+ D
1 ?3 v# x3 w k* l+ PCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
4 T9 H5 k7 D- m, Y"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 3 N* u1 W% d# |* ~* Y1 b
; C/ h+ x- E) ]$ n5 ~* s+ {) 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. - r P p4 ]6 s. g
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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$ k) e5 }! _8 v) wThe draft budget does not come out until November. 1 F* W* n5 W S: ^4 {5 X" u3 P' L
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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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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 0 \9 M' z$ ~2 [7 P3 l a
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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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. ; k/ t r2 r. m" R
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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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" E4 [, A" j% b" |% V3 pHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 4 x+ n, N& p @! a5 }& @2 X/ e( |
! Z9 n" h4 F' F T7 f- g ["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. ! u! c9 @3 U3 O, N4 h
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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.
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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
