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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike7 ^1 {5 K1 O# d1 f! }# Q1 h# o
- T' D, h8 @6 @' x9 q/ EThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. # O" `, r& V/ u9 A
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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. / ?" u8 i, |1 I3 \
u+ z3 S& {% G% e' G, X. ?0 J& C7 lMandel 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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( [( h8 S7 R) n"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. C- y) p* u' H. B
& h8 d( y; }) D! _7 Y- E8 }City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
$ ]+ |4 ^) X! Y# \8 ` z, z"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 $200 a year. ) k+ m7 q! u/ X, j* a
& l9 T, x6 u: u2 H7 A6 R"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. : W' I) [$ \1 Y
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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. % S N5 R) I9 X% R
5 A* i f) p- C" J+ h1 r"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. , p# G2 O( b# p3 R# y# }) X: }6 ~
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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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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. $ p+ L7 I7 Y% G
6 w5 `, h7 w& z- t1 W; c* w- HScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 9 X$ u' ?& }2 f ^
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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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6 e! w4 U, f0 b- d8 c"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ( a; [4 M! \, B5 H$ j2 h7 V
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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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& o* D- H' d+ |: f$ v7 Y6 Q3 v0 y6 BThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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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.
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2 A: s2 x( G& 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
