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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike7 _& f7 G3 T! v
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. : D4 W; W8 D- P% L. t/ r. F
6 {+ J9 a( k- v% e9 o% fEdmontonians 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. 7 s! O0 d* ~9 V& [' D9 G
2 \ }2 A6 P3 f& D8 [0 i5 c: tCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
8 u' W7 }( s* Z x+ o% G"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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ; s, B" ^" k, O7 Y
2 U( u( v: Y, P+ Z! L$ DCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. h9 }& C( j; E5 C9 x1 a. N
1 {3 U* \1 }! t7 PThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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"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. - Y* G v/ @6 L' C4 p7 u
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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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. . J- W& s n& J, M9 V+ A [) u( x
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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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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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; B3 M. O& M5 D5 a"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. * p* Y3 g! M" t( G, I$ I; ?7 A! e/ u) a
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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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$ }" w1 q, x7 l( aThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 4 E$ I: v2 M) c
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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. - Y- ?5 J6 u R7 u
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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
