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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike/ @3 a; M# v) w+ ~) n
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Think 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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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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/ f! h2 s% q6 l# p1 ~) [City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
& B9 [+ w+ ^) g' n b7 X; D& d"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ! E$ Q; ^% ~/ x
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 8 k/ Q& M* G- D' P, v7 e3 Z
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. + B4 a6 h* c p F
% n+ _5 l6 I1 f+ b" HCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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" w& r3 u0 O( K. A/ N2 c* w8 t; ZThe draft budget does not come out until November. " t& W2 t" b$ {7 j: ]
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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. " U8 X' s) u9 y7 @; [4 S2 U
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"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.
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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. * ~0 u* D& _2 @( r9 D
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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.
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% O' O. l y- ^"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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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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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. % }9 f3 O/ ~1 J j( E
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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
