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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike4 c$ ]1 ]! z$ |# u5 n
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 7 p Q2 D1 _' I& K
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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.
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. K4 p2 M# @) F6 W# kMandel 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. 0 J( [4 P# ?' s6 n
. }3 O- b% d uCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates0 p4 w6 v" s. S
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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3 l f! C" d* T" dA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. / y( n/ E; t0 B' g
8 y1 A+ w% _$ w+ w% A8 p4 uCoun. 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. 2 o1 R9 {) c+ g$ k/ 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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], X0 X. D+ T) {" A* T* _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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( P) S7 S+ y( _2 O( ["We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ; `/ _. x# h( t1 S
" Y1 c7 H5 x# S6 S- H$ o7 u, V4 |! SScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. % k# v3 A) {8 q8 I4 \
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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. 8 l$ ~7 f" l1 E, U0 N
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. # K: C9 s2 d, q7 F }6 J7 ^
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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.
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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. 5 W" m5 O: q* W; W. x' f
" E8 T' U, B6 m% w4 YTax 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
