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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike8 u2 q6 w- [+ \6 C; e) Q
4 C9 b: k; `# v d2 ?3 ^5 bThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. , G$ X' b' h7 I* s; p& z
- D4 n) h5 J" Y- 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. ; [- e; n3 D1 g
7 P8 g6 j2 f9 c5 w( LMandel 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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6 c$ X. H8 k% z' b1 l' v"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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" e$ p) ]4 s# }0 S X1 uCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
" _# D1 y* j- c"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 2 B4 O% e; q* L4 B) P0 R
+ }: b7 n7 U3 p' A4 U: r, NA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. # _; D) |/ H% _$ ]3 o
- t, n6 K6 ^% g1 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. 1 O& V" u; N6 X/ ^0 D/ z
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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. 0 m- U) |% x1 X" V/ ~
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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, o8 Y9 H3 j$ l/ c1 Z* Y7 g k"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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1 W1 \: M- A- Y. `2 M6 F2 ~"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. ( a. H6 b. R8 J! C/ j
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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. 3 V. u! V3 ^ l# w7 g
) J+ O: i4 Q6 x) Q9 J$ U"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. 4 w' P: p u# ~! z
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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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% m2 Z5 Z: K/ d- c4 I' [( p"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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# E3 x& N0 _: S* W' R% ?"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."
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The 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.
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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
