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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike: j8 I7 g. v! {) }# r
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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: D) s* F h" |& d3 ~0 _$ e* ?2 YEdmontonians 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. 5 Y6 h1 U- b7 c* H8 v
9 J8 ?/ B9 m) _* d+ \6 [( e n! 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
8 _- ^" J$ y9 {8 U3 q& h& u" _. E# N"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. * ~/ C8 m1 I5 m2 E
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 6 d% c- g. R" P! t, M! }; U& p6 ?
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 9 Y4 Z& C+ E: s6 X
. K% q9 r9 Z" l, U; iCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 9 I' }$ p- g5 A
( y' M2 X; m$ j2 Y9 ?The draft budget does not come out until November. : j5 r6 q7 Y. |7 m
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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. ) [5 E, p1 `; b4 K# x# q
$ B1 |% k! O, o"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.
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$ |, `! k+ G6 w' l% G# _"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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, K, m6 u. m m& P/ D5 C/ r1 ?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. ! b2 x+ s# h' t3 \( \8 L& @, F {
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. + @6 ]0 b; B8 o% W1 b5 M
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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." $ u' t* I) _0 d* y
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 3 [' p. c+ j) d! r3 b
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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. + C: { n/ J: Q$ ]1 m
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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
