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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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1 A- [( _: z* j/ ]! FThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. % w7 S' k: z$ u! J
$ O, u8 _' d( ^# q5 XEdmontonians 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. & o! v$ o2 z3 u
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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. 9 `$ R+ ~8 P+ `1 J! M; q% e( F
& Z" o7 J. C8 O3 N! o1 o! x3 p"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
0 o8 g% \9 K# X$ x; x8 t"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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' ?4 Q( _! [: `0 G# kA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. / B8 x' N# \& N& P4 t$ L; X
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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. ) O' X! {* a6 c
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The draft budget does not come out until November. " T2 @% N2 d6 c& F' {
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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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* L7 x/ _/ X5 R"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." " i: ]. ^% g1 n
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ) c# n) F: F% U2 r) ]
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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. # O F% r5 \! u& ^6 b/ A0 @
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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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1 w$ d: s5 i6 c9 I5 J( G' P; ?7 _Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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" t( P; \7 ~. T D5 l v% fHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 1 g5 e. S) h; C6 G% i
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. - X5 @& Q1 w1 b
. P$ J/ U: _8 r* `0 u7 y"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." % G! m; n7 m' N
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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
