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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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2 L. ?+ O2 h9 U: x1 l- N pEdmontonians 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* e7 `( Q) c6 _& b
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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. 7 T3 d7 O6 I/ ~0 J% D7 M8 U1 v
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ; u" V" q1 H. k& O
. \" k+ }, }! s7 l4 V' O. RCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
4 a8 q8 W0 v9 T$ y- ~"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. # N" Z( G u# O7 E' s& p
3 a5 v8 X3 k$ {/ a/ XA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. / R8 j* K: z) {' j
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. # E9 ]( d& ~6 F+ a: J! t
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ) I# v; [2 | x& j7 k: P
5 V1 M; B* ~1 ~, k4 [The draft budget does not come out until November.
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7 w6 w' J9 J; R2 e- x& Y"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 2 F7 q. f' w6 \; `# C- @
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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* G5 G) C& H4 x' h0 U5 bMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. # V& M$ Y" v) X; m+ s$ V
" Y7 E; {- P: Z; ]! iHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 1 ], r$ d; N3 t: Z( F" w: [
. J9 \& I H% l7 M! N0 N% E0 \* D"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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/ M- m) A3 f" Y7 C- V9 XScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. F2 v( B) f9 S+ g* K7 d
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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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6 |2 _9 E" D$ g$ M- X"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ! ?8 r3 v- H, l: G; G
% i/ D) g6 _/ I8 ]"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.
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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
