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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike" f( r- U& ^) O3 X
~$ Y* S Q9 O3 M: |7 y* BThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ; y# d: L+ M9 h, G$ A" 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. 1 {- M: O0 H% w& r! e* p: F
3 ?( p# p5 Q5 h5 t' s$ |' [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 d" r- W6 v4 k7 g/ k" F8 x+ E$ t0 D- `
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"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
5 t7 W% V- z- P0 R2 `"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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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) ~3 S0 h. v. q/ A# W9 gCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 8 Q6 _- c9 N2 G
3 S7 I/ m! Q7 _6 k" h D7 OThe draft budget does not come out until November. 2 I2 }# i9 Q6 ~2 ]
0 \$ u, V' t" {6 l- L6 U) j F"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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% w: Q* Y! s( @0 S5 N0 ^8 Y"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 0 Y A8 y' {" Q- O5 C6 J" j( x; \
* D( U/ M ?2 |However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. / K1 e. n+ d% n2 A8 P, b
I: A! G( v. t"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. * P8 O6 s0 k# h8 e) J3 R K
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 7 H" _ y- x# @, m. t$ m
. V, ]8 k- ^" m; f E" ^' JHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 5 t0 ]% J+ f& i- w) v* |5 b
. `5 w% o2 W; g& _/ n& U"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ) J. |- t9 ? i3 B7 V' R+ Z
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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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) u. z! R2 D( VThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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2 a+ l- }$ t* U) `2 @/ F- {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. ' g& Q M, N- a: g+ Y0 L( W
9 P% _; e" `1 t$ WTax 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
