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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike2 V8 ]9 \& |# ^
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 6 y9 t1 D! J, x, g# ^9 Z
# O# |# z8 `1 OEdmontonians 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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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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5 ~+ v/ E# Z: H9 z"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ( \$ K7 l, W8 _3 _
: q+ ]3 w. \" KCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates) ?( G( _8 A3 N J( n; A! v) j
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ( \' C% F3 ~9 T5 f0 u
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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; x3 |, ]6 W+ @, B* }"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. + [: E `, O3 D8 F8 Y9 u
0 X. l8 _) u, a) [) FCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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: K; N, A p n& S7 {3 ?. zThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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! h4 a r0 E$ _7 ^2 E" O"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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, ~/ Z( d& {# C5 S, wHowever, 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. 4 v7 l# \; s9 Y; C1 q) I$ v$ c
. g2 ?" t/ C% x& j# d, t5 ]- M5 LScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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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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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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- E, J& U/ t% \. t$ {, I$ M" k4 J"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. + O1 x) p. o" T" v% p2 K3 G
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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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" a- e% T9 \$ L: H( ]$ k: s; {Tax 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
