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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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5 `; \3 e: u8 @6 n8 TThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. # Y# \7 U( m' A8 |
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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. g% E' B7 l5 H
' \! S6 y* t+ S: P" u/ e$ _; @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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2 e. S! t: m0 }& y"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. $ m6 G* h& A7 x* ]* T
* W4 D, i. V) t+ h9 y- w1 F" VCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
/ E1 T. C- W" u: B/ S9 Q"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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- x# U. ] S& h8 [& GA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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4 Y. N* P/ Z; }$ o2 y' x3 H7 W, ?0 w: ~"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. 0 W8 n% x# N+ U: t( X: ]( K" M( X
3 X s# t4 n$ r) x, A+ ECoun. 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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* `2 K/ F; L VThe draft budget does not come out until November. ' r) A) Z5 I3 J r+ t
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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. I1 \; w" w& K- Y" d) `
5 M& j4 f0 u/ C"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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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 2 M4 x- }+ P1 f; i1 d8 l
5 v. J& x6 F2 x e& k4 B* {* M"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ( B7 w( {, Q. Q$ I! W' {. B
2 k7 n5 u5 Z9 a- [$ E6 J) u+ aHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 0 b( `3 X8 x7 U4 `& v+ f1 _- O, y0 D
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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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! k9 Q3 i' B9 d/ N"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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" P4 W, Q" {' F) U+ e* T% XThe 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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) ]" P/ d2 w, }( ]% dTax 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
