 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike* q8 ^, S' E! l7 t/ D7 s; [. `
. O7 P4 E' ~ Z7 _' TThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. # x, U1 w# X' b5 `6 j Z
/ K* K8 n8 z7 V! z
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.
& m) g+ d% q7 ?' T6 u7 t, c* |. @# B, ?1 C7 n$ C
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.
) B/ p1 k, G/ b+ T; K
% o5 r9 U7 H% p5 g"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
9 v* B, F1 M6 ?2 b! Z/ U
$ }2 W- X9 z: N/ u% OCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
) {0 M3 Z3 \: B) H/ C& q"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
# l h6 q$ o- O# j. b6 H
9 L3 N/ K! ]0 E# N, f+ q! nA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
P5 t, n0 @* U- [/ o' ^
/ Y- W9 ]; r6 ~"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. * M% A+ K) `; f ?! ^/ W
2 `5 a% J6 n2 \8 k5 }5 @Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
# r! A: [( K9 x6 Q
' P. @; _6 h( ?/ z2 ~The draft budget does not come out until November.
4 A. w) f! _) P" k8 L
4 u1 \7 t- B: o; ]1 ]$ C"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.
1 h) L; F2 F5 G# `7 T- ~4 ^
8 Y4 t$ X/ c# \"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
, Y0 k; J( i+ a( I) z" |5 g
$ s- y9 X' x& I4 X: x! jMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ; q8 h2 l6 T6 N/ g2 l* A/ X" P
; F( }& J, i2 V
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
* |0 r# N" u! ^
7 @8 Y) R7 @- l7 s4 D- C3 Z l"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
# |8 [4 n$ y. [0 ^0 W, A/ v# w7 m) b9 B- m" n. v# t& Z
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
; |( F4 q* n7 v6 R- D# d' _* {) D, a9 Y
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
' t! M. M- X6 j6 N4 B& r
/ I7 B& s+ u2 T) r# }' I+ |* v5 o"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 6 v! q/ n' D& e6 S" z4 G( J
/ M5 C5 x& S5 b& C. `' 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."
3 ]( j$ i1 a" x
E: A' T# w+ t* b9 mThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
" `4 I( f- f% m. M9 R6 o
2 x5 w3 R- Q4 _5 qThe 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.
^: g7 j3 O" l% H" `; e% [% Y1 F1 B
$ I8 C* y" Q! dTax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2007-5-9 22:25
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2007-5-10 11:37
