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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike3 Z5 P% D( f& R# {$ r
1 |+ m8 l: e0 x+ kThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. - W- V0 U: }- w/ O% L D* s- Y1 z+ o$ _
& }+ e8 O- F$ l+ j7 N9 wEdmontonians 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. 0 w" o- [5 k# \+ G% E
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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. 8 {/ O `1 G# N7 s( U, i
' d: z! J1 x9 P4 Q4 y' c& ~4 w5 L% rCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates, `# A- v6 B: R# B; S
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. * k% M# E, i9 Y1 Q$ V& h: Z2 ]& x
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. & w9 G2 @& A# Q. C. C
2 d2 ~+ s9 ]0 G: D"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. , T& Y6 a. |' m5 ~% ?
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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. * |3 ~( o4 k" C+ I K+ I0 f# r1 t
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The 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. $ n v( {, h5 B& N6 P! R, E
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 3 B5 i3 v0 n7 A1 f
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ) `, c3 p( _& A4 _8 A F3 z5 ]
r6 f/ o/ M5 P. w- {, ^1 vHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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9 D5 ^9 F M" c6 F9 B8 x2 {"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. ) O1 F# N6 x( L5 H/ S5 Z9 @
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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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+ A, e: `9 p2 ]( I4 n$ z# T# r"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 1 |1 a+ e5 g* E
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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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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 7 j; t7 I: D' L2 y
8 D$ }3 a) U' lThe 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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( ]- i6 ~( _$ z0 u; ~5 QTax 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
