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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike: C5 ]# F1 X+ k, w5 I
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ' x4 G0 }/ u B( F/ x% s# K+ M
, k$ X8 k" e, R) R" y4 N1 v& `: dEdmontonians 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. ( f% w: D1 L, j; {% f/ A9 E; }+ {
) I- ^5 q! q, k* Z* nMandel 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. ( z3 y8 t8 D L0 Q( w" p2 I9 i% L! ]
" P& A- B6 h1 x- ?7 P- R9 h"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. - p' \. Q. S+ ]4 ]8 | E* y
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates0 `) ?8 W. B8 o# Z4 O& T
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 1 l0 J6 E1 }! {( Z& J( j
) t6 ]+ M4 i0 p9 MA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 5 O3 o) g! W9 }8 \9 a3 H
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 0 ^1 ]$ c- @5 C1 O& x' ~
# Y4 {' }7 M0 U8 ?& dCoun. 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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; ^& w# d' m; kThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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. W+ h" Z3 k& j/ X6 U"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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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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"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.
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# g5 ] W* j5 u/ |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. . q8 C8 _$ C: e$ S# @
( |! S: J) O3 e( B p- Y/ ^"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. ( H; Q: u0 n( B
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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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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
