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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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+ l6 M2 ^ g+ Q6 C6 gThink 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. . S5 l" Z1 p# N2 X4 R
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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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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
/ `8 A* c# v1 K8 u3 E' P/ y"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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# s+ C: s* n+ l1 @) xA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. / V6 K8 u) P9 B
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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) L! S( i$ J4 aCoun. 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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6 x) g% E( s1 c) R7 E3 }The draft budget does not come out until November. 4 s6 l" e3 z) D7 t1 @, E8 a T
( B# h( x( t) m+ g, M0 p, u4 [4 G"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." % k5 X5 m% W7 C, |
; q' u% I7 o9 hMaurer 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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) u, n/ D7 \" {) v9 o: T"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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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 1 g; U" K* x! }7 Z1 z, B6 m
; a; k3 Z* x: G0 w2 @5 V9 W! h9 EHe 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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0 L$ M% k. k6 P"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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) N5 ?4 J0 \2 o9 B. f) `% AThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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" S7 M. d9 I6 Y; @- @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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# F4 C/ M" i5 o$ DTax 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
