 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
/ U/ a1 x) h& D2 Y+ L# J) k$ r, m; N" K1 {0 q
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
* r, L% d. W& V" j9 ~& c
3 Q! ]/ A) T# [* ^( ?4 Q0 D. zEdmontonians 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. + e3 [6 e2 `5 \
: i# v7 M' F6 mMandel 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. # f& |" ^0 T V: F" X8 k7 H
+ u" u0 V# E7 P3 F4 {( g"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ) k8 C0 G: k1 \
4 ~( ?; h: V. M% RCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
2 F' z9 N# q8 I, U+ z' T" |% Q"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 6 a) h$ y. q7 k$ ?% v: J
# X! \& p! x* z1 i. O
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. & X9 `' b1 j0 d4 k1 o- i
2 |, P, T3 `9 w. V0 O3 J+ P% @! \"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
% @, y0 u5 q$ Q. L4 N" `- T5 ~% d6 q$ M/ ?: W/ \7 s
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. + L; P& c) A2 R* f
8 N, u$ h' r( y U4 a3 S1 ~* y
The draft budget does not come out until November.
7 Z/ d0 E6 h! q. S1 g8 l& ~( u$ m0 L r) V, l$ `: M
"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. ' A$ U% }; o0 V% Z
( z+ F: G* Y. G4 ^
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
1 d. K7 h4 k _& Q8 O8 E8 M3 ^1 i3 p2 h' K& H6 e
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
% C9 d/ r' X* d R6 Z: f4 y8 D0 b& [" ?3 [
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. . d' Y0 s- P' s- R' R
q9 V/ |; V& D) a" G& \" }5 F6 `* z
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
" A9 U0 K7 ?5 c$ `' y1 `( _+ D( ?, ^$ P' E
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 7 |1 |# {) ]' V) K- e8 n0 [% t
# d2 }' O, ~ k: ?( K( {& iHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
5 j" y9 p; }/ v. t
: L u) U% d- ~" o- ^# e& F"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
+ M$ y; N$ j: K9 U1 }; z8 [. z, k- L: G7 Q% C
"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."
4 U* u' c+ m% L7 S @% L8 ~( I/ I. C% y0 |! ^
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
4 [ |9 ~. f% u, t# @6 `* f$ w, q/ ~* u5 c/ l& ~
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.
1 b j6 P# P+ l, ?1 t5 {' c9 }4 D: b1 s+ S
Tax 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
