 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
_: Q' f7 I" q2 N) q
1 L1 `. d0 u7 SThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 3 l) y5 |! J) Z3 I2 H" D
+ N% b6 w! G! z$ l5 {& l
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.
1 N: h' U" P- c8 W& l; d. U& F( u; j6 N# S
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.
1 t+ {6 {' S ]6 k6 \) }" ]* D, P7 m; E$ w: q% }2 q) C, Y
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 8 p' S: z; ]( ?- Z+ a
1 D( e) T. |' @% N3 j/ D
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
/ X6 S6 o" X5 L2 E y' q1 A"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
* o3 |1 L2 Q `! w- E7 H0 F# _
w, H& d' D, c6 n5 `A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 0 G- I2 o9 y t: w7 }
1 m9 N; ^1 z% x"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. , _( w( @/ T, D; n
; f. Q/ ^7 k% m6 jCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
1 b' s' J6 t2 ]" \ k* W7 ^5 I5 b) K" F! m7 X. v1 y! F
The draft budget does not come out until November.
/ q1 e, Z) U% Y, O0 C* y6 n
/ F& h/ Q5 k. U$ X) ~ {9 C"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. ' n6 D/ ?) Z7 |
! }; R. h" }- R( w0 y) F"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
( `" t" d! I& G) n$ o! |- g. x* c+ U3 |. o" v! f) ~3 q g
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
- _. r& ? B; D' t7 \6 `0 j9 E |) d* ?% C5 {$ _
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
/ Z- K. M" j+ M8 w6 r! F$ Z$ }" y& |( \5 y. E2 d0 N3 E( U
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ' h) f2 t8 H4 K
6 B5 |8 T5 |2 V$ L1 R3 [2 q
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
: C k2 F1 p. l
, h6 _$ }2 O7 |He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
+ R/ ^) H; X3 O. D6 X5 Q7 h4 i. S) x: O# M# ~+ ^4 T* q
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
0 `6 O; b) g" H) ^8 z9 G1 M, o( S" G5 `/ u$ 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." , Y# ~ P: l" f
9 z5 I! X3 P2 E) E. S; C2 ^ E& f
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
2 s+ |. @' T/ ]% o; j& I+ a
! h% |! g8 w: M8 E, h& ~; `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. + H5 n8 w E2 |' b
$ v4 C* n+ R' v2 rTax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2007-5-9 22:25
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2007-5-10 11:37
