 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
4 {. H! ~2 O# Z9 t8 Q) X) T* s5 E& k
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
0 L8 j4 f ~# h3 ?
8 F$ P8 x$ e6 x2 S: \2 qEdmontonians 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. ! c9 C) l; T0 s' o
( D9 q: r( t/ M' b! z
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. 6 d; N6 l5 a- z) H: h& Z
* j0 l7 S9 q$ k3 j% Z- x0 d) N
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
+ u6 ^6 g8 e$ Q+ ^2 |( a$ C
. w/ m8 f7 C6 \& u# j4 W- |. ECity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates/ `5 w3 Y$ ]* f& l% Y% D
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. * a7 y- z! n+ D4 u% d" \
: D& E5 F4 Z+ X+ ^, G& Y
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. $ Q& K2 E6 k) ~6 |& R
j6 E4 E$ Z) ^4 q+ m/ M"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. 5 ^1 [8 y: V3 {' M# R2 @" M$ e
3 r \3 o0 Z' T, ]5 YCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
: {$ a8 H, d/ m' z& J
9 g0 b- b2 H$ H" e% u- e# V( bThe draft budget does not come out until November. , X% y J) u0 X, r9 A; l& L
# }" ` a! A3 v* p- P2 ?, v
"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. # T, {: R- {. ]3 T* I: s
7 D( O4 ]3 @, D% k
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." ! |9 w8 |# p2 M3 g& V: z+ {
$ v/ r" o7 S2 I( \* J; }
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
9 I/ v b5 H$ |8 l1 x
- ?0 }( S! k/ ?# f4 f; x0 k$ yHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
9 z+ P C! Q3 ?; Y
& [5 v7 u$ R2 t4 \. q8 t; R"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
- {. b: O2 A9 {) m8 [, B p# f5 |) V$ e/ \2 i* x, L
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ' S9 J; M/ {' \6 A3 S
, i& y' `% ^ ?; a3 ^# L7 H
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 1 X8 C/ H! n% i4 [! K1 {
# W3 o& d8 s! V2 i( \+ I8 _"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
7 L9 s) `2 c! ^3 ]% w4 q" @" ~3 Z- ]/ U' n) t$ i. C" d A
"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."
( f2 R9 ]3 _8 _2 i2 ]5 l+ J. H. [0 E9 i7 c0 R" j0 ~& G0 W
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
! s5 J) H3 |# q& \: D! y+ w1 r) s+ z4 O! @8 p
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. " s3 N, u# K2 K# ~+ `2 Y+ z
- d$ ]8 s6 W f+ a
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
