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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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; K& N/ [( v$ C9 l9 yThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ! n/ c5 M+ u, d0 l) X! y) u5 P
! ~# \$ R2 s* H- Q2 BEdmontonians 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. ' B; ~4 ^. A a% D
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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. # W! i+ E! }# f* H
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. : V! Y/ |* n( t( N6 R$ [
' T6 X/ r" F9 f- m; \City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
& H% W P: S; p# b) y' p"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 $200 a year. : f& R0 y1 j1 f7 y |6 T* N
" K t. K& A- { `"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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- V3 k7 e) X) M, h9 aCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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9 V' a. S& U1 E: f"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. ; P0 ~+ r8 w! d
1 M: w) k+ s2 H' T"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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- ]/ N: m7 A/ R& Y% EMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. , |. q0 |9 ?) W. w0 j( M) Z" P
# M3 _3 S" J' W! d6 }# I$ qHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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# r7 ^$ W9 Z1 v9 g2 I- F& p"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. - S2 @- h( u4 E8 D% Y9 @5 Y: ^5 `
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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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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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6 E0 T$ x* J* J4 y, s"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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( p. s0 V3 R8 u( z8 ?"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." : r4 H* F6 _- Z" ~$ W' |
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. % y+ n' g h+ A; B4 t
1 v2 v! _ K# ^- VThe 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
