 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike1 a8 I- Y7 ? \( `
+ v A9 N# S! l+ A0 A! A! \' H; BThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. & B; t! r- i; D1 ^' e- c
- c2 R8 H4 C4 m- C( ^8 i0 j$ }+ X
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.
6 W- q4 d- W) E( m+ U1 Q0 Z5 J5 R3 {* d6 K% d# b
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. 1 b( p% P' p3 S! @5 Q
# X7 H6 d8 O( @& f& v J
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
8 d8 _; N! D* z/ R/ j8 i/ I
8 L2 c {! ^9 G% A2 f8 `6 p+ C1 |City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
6 A- x$ B! J T$ F" @1 C"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. - r; a1 ^; Z4 b
/ N2 N: l4 @6 i' Y% s
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ( j1 M8 |- [) c& {& _
" A* z" D- S& l3 E
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 7 s8 n& E- C" r3 x
! y8 k% v2 R& {: LCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. - g5 z7 s9 T k. m! t9 A
7 t( v% u$ D0 `, v8 K" p* p0 v2 JThe draft budget does not come out until November.
; P& ^. i3 t4 d# N+ {8 D" _4 ?% \ l2 b0 G+ B# k2 n
"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. |( L) k( j) R6 D5 P0 X) Q' |
& Z- `/ W: ~5 T7 B# M
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
/ v7 Z8 c$ N: J3 a+ N v
# m" E; W j% u# q& i7 {Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
' Y2 [( n' ], m
! D$ U6 h, k; S4 O: R J* I9 q) UHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 4 q% y8 N8 F: ~- F1 R
2 M: E9 q& l# t" A1 g6 |" E"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
/ j d+ ~0 ~0 [1 \( e( X/ E
' o0 |# ^) U7 p# WScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 1 y* _- N: ]! L- o5 F7 ?$ M! Q
$ R: ]! g+ n. x# `& z
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. # f6 r1 J" u# r! P
3 M. w: E0 Q9 |) B* j$ [3 L"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
9 W+ ^+ e: l# u. l
& ^: h* K9 |$ |- D5 u: f$ 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." 2 l9 k5 R, } z$ E
' R( x( X7 E* z/ JThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. $ T7 i9 ~! u. P: p! B" \. a2 g1 @
. X; v/ Q0 K: L7 e: _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 h. e* }0 w; `, q: v6 Y3 T5 k; y. w- K2 z( {
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
