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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike q' m7 {% z8 M7 z4 y- R
v L+ m. w% ~/ L5 ], @) VThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. $ Z2 O& ^8 R& e6 F" j
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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. , L# M/ d7 |* ?5 f& H
2 j- ]! E O9 m' H/ UMandel 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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' H/ `5 z U6 E3 C/ ]2 i"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
# a6 o0 O. d- V3 t# G# E i3 B- m"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. - u" R9 f4 H) n+ u" e$ d
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 3 \0 n2 }0 D( |
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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$ O/ r# H6 D, ?) M"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. / Y6 w* I2 x: z6 G) Z: R1 `
& Y# R% f1 t# {( t; ^6 a"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 0 @$ z D" E; z6 L0 S
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. y( {" g8 I& F$ ^0 C! `/ c3 Q
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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. . E8 m4 X5 I; E( J4 }! W8 r4 e6 F
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 9 V7 O: ~% {& Y# P2 Z
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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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3 \# g w# Z- k. f"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. . m6 L5 R" p* x0 E* j
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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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" H& W v# W/ i4 hThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) I# a7 \/ t( W' ]- n
( ^ L2 F& N% s1 k3 P W+ 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.
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2 ~; o) z7 f/ _& I) HTax 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
