 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike# a: h+ K- w' x
3 |8 s+ @5 W2 a- o F% p2 M) D( ZThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
5 g O, Q, }/ ^: s2 Z; w' l. P M/ O5 E/ o% ~
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. % D" t# \; U0 ^. M) G8 W0 {2 K- Z
2 d. S+ [ Q) a9 p. f
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.
+ h; C7 ?$ g+ m7 a- o; v4 f
+ z; v s, O4 ~! j) G"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 2 n- R0 n6 y- U
. I3 }) Q* z b q+ h& q
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
, I/ x1 y3 C6 ^"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. : ]! n) Z( i6 H" ^) ^6 [) J5 ~0 T! T, `
: z7 ]: [0 k& t! Z& J
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
# Z# [9 s' r7 y% Q2 }. B& [& J. `7 P; ^3 ?" |1 F L3 s. g+ P
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
4 T5 s9 q7 V! [8 X( e1 l$ c% i3 o& n" I& ^9 V. ~$ D5 v% N
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. . f. W- b; z7 r; Y8 [5 O
: j; A, D" M! l( A) B
The draft budget does not come out until November. 4 ?& @6 M- }/ v8 o
- ]- w1 c$ d3 g2 @9 f- ]"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. / R9 _4 M( C7 f" D6 o
) @2 q/ q4 f: X/ _; d"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
4 s/ q- A$ p$ I# B7 Z+ o1 |" k, ]$ b
8 e @ P& y( G6 a7 ~: WMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 0 p/ o( F! Q8 Q+ W; M
5 C% b6 B* h8 n: K% D+ hHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. % q' T& [" N* ? T& ~
# @5 K0 H5 G# ^8 j9 ~ k- A"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
: z) D6 o( J, o5 K" M$ j( B7 H! e
8 r ^! l' J+ ~! t) ]Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
( N) y6 d' e$ {; _- T) G" j8 @
% a) n2 Z: B- [# I- ?/ x2 I- W) c( cHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
2 O6 h. e8 Q e
6 ]! T6 s9 c' A; E9 u"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
" f f: Q" F" n4 _+ s9 `& l( C' P( S# L
"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."
) c1 _6 o+ j4 S7 o! \& d$ p
8 p. C4 z/ b) r2 Q# fThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
* U$ U( C2 n) B' N2 y, o8 s) C* I5 W. i6 z+ y
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.
" O e, ]$ t1 ]; r3 Q- E8 y& \- X
1 |# u3 Q v; O4 `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
