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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. 1 X! S+ u& @+ p
, p! g2 ^- _2 W; j3 t. I/ n7 OEdmontonians 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. # T; k9 @' p E7 w4 }; y
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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
6 F( p% y3 l: r& C: x7 |# y"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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. q* l$ Y! F, Y, M8 `4 _% c
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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. ( [! k0 v0 G2 l9 n, P" W6 F
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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. ' F: `( _+ p8 ]2 x; P. W
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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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5 ]6 q8 D2 B6 J, |( @* X( I"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ! ?' s4 v: Q, F: Y
' f' O: ^. s |) H. S. t4 L6 X6 q5 uScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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8 D7 w3 X' A: B& O# V: v# WHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. $ e4 I) y$ i2 U! J
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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! G; ?0 I6 g' o9 @' }! p7 Y N* _"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." 0 ~6 X, H$ W: a7 k0 d4 |( C
- t& X7 g' i; {The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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/ ^6 P& L6 ]4 n- i/ r4 KThe 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
