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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ' E0 x8 P1 ~8 }" R6 }" m; H/ g
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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. ; k# f( R/ N! i. ^
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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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C* X s- P9 n; C5 ~2 q"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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; t6 J! l7 D+ z! v DCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates4 w* W/ T* g8 b9 O9 y
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. / \' o, I- \8 i8 }
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. / X$ D2 t0 h" w5 R! U% J
- p; l! @; i( t+ T2 m2 `" z% {7 FThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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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.
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5 O, [! c; T! e4 ?7 m"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. " Q( E8 p( t/ ^& g( ` m3 N
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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. 3 F1 h+ f, B( S. [+ r0 g4 t4 C
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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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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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& O$ `' f9 Z4 v7 E"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. * C/ t/ [" W, g. |. s7 |
" z+ g- i) k/ ?% u8 ?- j6 P"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." : `- d/ r3 r; r0 N
3 q6 E N1 C' o# bThe 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. % k1 {8 k. [: W2 L. ?! J* h* Q* C
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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
