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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike# M' e, ?- S0 [9 S* C# e/ o0 [
* D" k# T: E y. sThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. , q( A4 N" \ c4 ]6 b ^
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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. ) P6 D+ h9 G, |& x% l/ Y' S
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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. 1 R) n6 I" o4 s. F1 F: z
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. - T, F0 O/ c! `# k
# M5 r" d8 z; a4 u( s, ^City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
, c! E7 J7 H0 m1 g4 b g"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 3 e3 F: Y: K2 }) Y/ \; t$ {% ]
7 }2 y; s$ q! y# }. m& j# L"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. : |* i ] T9 R8 c1 T i% I
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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. 6 [; z$ H1 g1 F" L8 g6 h
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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. 2 z8 ^8 G2 c* K
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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# F7 L2 i; m2 [Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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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.
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6 e, B7 @/ E4 {% u; h"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. & N' Y6 A+ q" l. e) y( T7 p7 G" s. A
, Y+ f' s$ n7 L( wScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. / l' N& }! B6 Y& o. l
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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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2 w. k7 @' c. S/ Z7 \6 l"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 5 ?! g4 h" U5 F: F( k2 P. V
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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." 4 u. q9 {9 l+ ]7 }
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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. , `" a1 r; |/ o
. V3 k$ v. y! t' @8 Y& b. }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
