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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike) {' @" P o6 e, I, E
! A9 t9 K Z+ X+ I& IThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 7 X9 K% z$ b0 T2 G3 f8 f, e" Y
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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. ) Q0 v3 _* S5 n) I5 v
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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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- I1 a) ?: Y7 z2 w7 L"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 7 g) @$ B( g/ P/ ~9 e
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
$ {' }* O8 f8 K# [/ P0 V"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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( v- {: c" o! \ {9 C$ ^A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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! R! D, x& J5 `: u2 `* v"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. & ], t) F4 A! V8 C# O
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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; Q( Z% p! p3 F+ `3 r: g4 wHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 2 k1 ?7 L8 l6 |7 `
1 U; e# Y/ l! x3 v"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 9 x9 E* o& v3 A( F5 u9 K! w+ [/ F
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. / [- R: K: w0 E! P7 z) _% ]
( J! Q0 Q$ a+ a L! F, t* D oHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. & d; t, N* W! v' f% ^+ w
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. o' a/ ^" i/ v. m
b* ~) @8 V8 d- R0 B3 W7 }% x9 S"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. : q: i$ Z# h$ a7 x" A- P* {
8 h9 b0 _. I4 l) S2 xThe 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. 5 m& @5 g$ P# V
$ j1 w5 @1 e' h+ iTax 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
