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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike+ I' k3 u' Y9 R
* y* ^- ^. I: W1 ]$ xThink 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. 2 ^1 r1 {; H/ L* b% f! C
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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. + W$ W1 F; ]& h& n# @3 d/ E
1 a8 y6 }+ n% b: X6 b"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. h6 F* b' {, Q" c
' R0 v' q5 X( U" q1 YCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates3 v7 [# {& T, n: y) W( E& m: e& l ~
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 2 W" G6 O0 ^" T/ K2 q Y N
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ; t# e( c7 a( q5 @; t6 x6 ?
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. ! w/ s" N9 w4 I
* ~) `0 |3 K4 q4 ?"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 8 g7 t, e& v+ P2 Q- _0 Y/ V. r3 D
) I( a: s9 w5 r, o6 j"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 2 A9 i/ x$ z5 C) U) q: G4 W
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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. I' `0 ~* y0 {# ?; THowever, 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.
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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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4 m8 f) I$ n, _; U6 DHe 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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"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." ) ^/ t2 y: p5 t
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) ~* U" X. b: i- N0 s, g
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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. + T7 M- Q3 Q0 I$ F6 H% Y
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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
