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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike1 m+ I8 N; R* T5 ]. Z
) b9 U) k: F: u0 P$ `) P @Think 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.
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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
! w8 t* u4 o9 ^" G, i"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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6 `+ J( L0 r1 ~2 i- p4 m- i4 J"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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' {3 h: _& ?* F" ~3 l) C' j% }0 Y6 b5 G; tCoun. 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. ) r7 J c8 E5 w% b8 f; h0 d8 S% v t3 b
* @3 V5 X& N+ G2 A"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 `& N* D, {1 g
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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, s* e, E" B# a5 j0 ZMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 6 X1 u T' V8 G- B
+ T& ]# ^3 g: U/ ?9 M0 eHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 5 T: s5 P0 T& H1 K1 @
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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. # n" E, Y. ]7 j! u% Z
4 Z2 x; I% p9 B7 \' c2 C2 N/ E8 AScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. $ W) Z( O) u: M7 e* r) y0 u
5 ~( T: T8 t2 g1 D3 ?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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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. / g; B) i6 p8 H0 R+ I a& S
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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." 8 r$ u3 F& R2 U6 q
7 P6 `0 R" f3 b/ K; rThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 2 o1 }: z( X. z. O& K/ T0 @' K
* O0 w; O( N5 tThe 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. 2 v8 l1 C* w3 p; f( j6 b
9 A/ l- w0 i* JTax 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
