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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike$ ?4 h u* b6 k# ^2 Z4 v: w
; L& p1 M1 h2 bThink 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.
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9 y( Z: G& a) S9 c: L3 [) w1 W"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 estimates0 N1 I0 S6 p) G' o. C" v& l) F% i' b
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. % V5 r) _$ A% D0 q! D) m
- N, t+ A6 n: g$ S0 u! ?7 a. bA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. " g7 Z# E; |5 A* F( c
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 9 F7 S1 ^9 M4 @! ~/ }5 G
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 2 t# m3 o+ u, x% {) s( d
, x( l# O- D) O$ s/ LHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 1 x0 [# K7 P P$ L! M
$ D/ ?# B' G9 r"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 1 y0 f2 {' L$ ~( s( W
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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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He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. - q3 N; g, t% K# ~* r; b2 u; }& u
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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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"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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# l) C4 Z$ _! `" m; h cThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. - ?6 V4 x g' y" y1 m2 L3 P8 h y
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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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) Y) w) Y/ a6 P/ H& d' c kTax 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
