 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
/ o$ C1 A, r% m, d- W, ?1 A# Z6 X( Y7 m& d8 ^& m7 _* o* m
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. . y N& H8 _6 q% L
4 v5 M0 }0 v6 {6 u: L! { E- 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. 3 ^# a% K q) K' p
0 u! {2 n! T9 X f. L
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. - J' @# a) \. i6 q) R) N. E
: R: n) \6 }! {"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
8 L$ @0 c) R& l; {- V ^
/ Q, x! ?3 |/ K: B. kCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates# g. \ I; v; V) m
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
% J) V8 }+ L2 F2 p0 m+ b1 K! V1 q. d# b- F& S
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 4 o% w$ _1 Q3 z$ N% O
4 o( d& R; ~$ N k$ _8 `2 _( Y
"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/ K4 U: n
& G9 _' |: e) Q, z
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ! `5 |* T% E/ S3 N: M W7 \: g5 b
, y: i* W* ?# ?4 S) U$ v! r7 F- y
The draft budget does not come out until November.
O7 j6 Z& C& Q, b- J# S9 e7 L" H: T- J# A
"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. % b; p6 f/ r3 e+ P- l
# L$ N2 l! h) T& U1 G$ N J4 w"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
$ e; g+ T$ A& P8 R$ X
/ Q: Y2 k- C+ n, N0 S( U5 l- L, BMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
5 d6 l! R% ^$ C! v1 x2 ^" S
- f5 p) a/ ]( l' [+ y. ZHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. / I8 O0 t, }, C; V5 l) L. f
* q. Y8 C. e1 J) p1 ^- a* X"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 8 {8 g* @; z. W1 a& C
2 c* G: s6 A- kScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 5 g$ a3 k, n" @
7 s% x9 I9 O4 N i" M' |$ ?' V+ e9 M7 {
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
$ u$ _2 s3 V/ K
- K y" X, D h" a& H"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
: R9 \+ R( ~+ A5 h/ |8 `0 J4 a' `% B9 h* Q4 X& l" K" f& ?! H
"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/ z# b% E9 Q) U# V# u
" \$ W& v: r; F5 d+ I3 q
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
: L# Y- H# h% m7 Q0 t5 ?5 m }5 H0 E' O5 [' t& @. z
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. , X" `; O* J# g; `
( s' `; p# b, A+ m6 l. F4 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
