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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike! j; ]7 _0 Q0 f$ A8 c+ B
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ; Q) ^. C- K0 _1 n9 }! u
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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. ) R, V# B% O7 `, n! n
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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. 3 A* u' e! P# R
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. K! v& L, R, s& ^. T/ {
' {( h% s) J, S0 NCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates; C1 e) W) ^0 M( Q
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ( K; `* \, p% M; J/ l1 K" `
4 {9 x, k2 H a9 ?5 o0 q6 pA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. + S/ S% i E* r1 [9 Y3 Z1 S
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ' t5 _& W8 w: j
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 6 l$ E& R, q. H- w
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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* K ~1 k% Y' V. m, k C/ y$ XMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 0 Y6 P4 K4 C2 e' q
R( u1 t5 C8 [6 gHowever, 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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$ s* X/ P1 \) @4 d, v0 W2 H7 _, N* MHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. / D" d0 ]5 e# c. V: B
' z. y! @. E. K0 O1 Q"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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"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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: v7 y1 ^9 d. |4 ~; YThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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$ Q ~ O" D5 O6 {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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% l, P; U2 L" f& o( QTax 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
