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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike9 A5 q. I% ]3 k! U
% O x4 v/ P$ e% r% V9 EThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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& B+ v3 ^: }+ M* Z" jEdmontonians 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. & a h; B" e5 F G% ?. a
/ V6 r6 t$ B. S: X( v2 ?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.
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates* ]! j1 v% K5 x+ Z0 C/ X
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. * R% b7 g% ]! f- f% f/ ?
9 a0 X3 l, Q2 ?7 UA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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7 ~1 z7 c: H5 L; I% o( ]5 x; O"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. " A8 d+ `8 g+ F) E9 c* ?( k1 \
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. # g% Q7 l7 y1 L5 E4 A7 L0 A c7 y$ i
# p8 a& R {. xThe draft budget does not come out until November. B' ?$ t; L& V; f! |# I: _
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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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" | h1 \5 c: _4 Q5 z0 W) n"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." ' l8 k* ?3 Q3 D8 `; Z) b& T
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 5 r! L! e8 P. o7 q& ]7 p h$ K
9 U6 C0 r1 n" xHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. , g' \3 c8 H4 @2 ~; ?& m J) W
( Y; _! B% w0 N" V7 c0 y"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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3 Y2 A) i- U+ n% I3 C2 h4 g; CScott 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. % `4 t; S8 D$ {7 t: V1 x
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 4 R3 l& F1 ^8 U. x( B( {
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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." 9 T4 _/ B7 `# m
, h/ u8 v7 u: r# yThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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5 @3 M6 X4 \+ CThe 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. 9 p& M6 X) K3 B
6 @4 a: E F" Y" S4 T$ A; ~+ @/ oTax 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
