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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.
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# ?& z: _4 e( X( sEdmontonians 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.
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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. 0 m+ e6 Z# @1 a8 c! v
7 l7 E& B. w# O* \+ ]- q/ M"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 9 p) q# x+ ]4 I1 P: `$ [8 t. [
/ `, S3 `0 v2 k" P: ICity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
" N, p: `& Q' ^" G4 ?/ v"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 7 G$ \3 }+ L$ S$ P# x7 A
4 W# N3 T% e! W" wA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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2 S6 g- J% P7 {3 Z* j. Q* | l"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 2 ^3 c2 m: }. k' Z$ v7 s6 V
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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. 2 `( Y/ C+ t c' A3 n& S, a0 |' ~8 w* T
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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! {3 |% l6 A% I0 w"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. + v) n. ?$ v- i! h
4 V% m6 {' }6 G" z( H7 c8 U"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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2 |9 d9 M( E9 P6 w; AHowever, 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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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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O9 q+ r6 V* U) }9 o"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 6 Z3 j* }) q' f& Q8 B
" \2 N; P5 J' D. p6 n, Y6 ["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." 7 l, V) d6 ~1 H/ T' }4 ~
& Q3 e3 ~5 v/ ~4 L8 f# _0 t* hThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. - @4 \9 M7 H/ @0 V3 {
. ~/ `/ |3 v; I, U+ ], W5 gThe 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. 9 h, Q8 k; F8 I% G# S- G
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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
