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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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" a# u( W% S) A$ Q5 }, MThink 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.
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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. * e5 q# ^' m) O+ R) V- Z
' C2 {: i1 k( u' O" |+ u1 @"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. " J w3 A- m0 a
$ V/ d: l: n; {City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
7 j2 K P9 s$ S8 _"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 $200 a year.
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3 j) r3 R |$ R- s" G, }: s8 X"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.
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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. W& l) K' T, n. r
6 \' e6 E2 W* k/ {# M8 ?2 ~+ Y7 Z+ BThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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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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* _9 y, C$ H1 ?# D1 ~"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." : C5 i; G( Z8 ]. 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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1 H" A: [: d6 a6 C3 C"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. + r* }; @$ s' G0 z) D* K- W
3 v! d( y1 [' \' a% c& `# P( ^- Y3 PScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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8 ~; F& t9 J* x `2 O0 t: W2 o2 XHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 6 c, X# l0 Z) E: l1 K' l P
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. * w; M4 K, ` l3 s; j. z
9 b7 a1 v: X' m7 k* D1 |& u"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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' G3 M+ ?/ h! J2 L0 UThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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& v! x" y# ?9 B0 nThe 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
