 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike8 F$ Q+ B4 ?6 z
/ G5 i/ d0 z. N1 xThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 4 S: U) m: `6 P- d; S
?/ Y3 f" y3 x3 Z1 e
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. 0 t8 |0 s( T$ b( z& {
- p$ A8 X: W* y& ^! \. E' K& \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. 2 J( h8 @% |. S$ t3 [
2 I- m9 @" d X2 V8 p8 X# Z# ~
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 0 V. Q( }" Y8 N
5 E L* j" p" ?. h
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates/ M3 ~# X/ n" z; Y
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. " a+ V% e9 i4 U0 H0 e$ t2 @* I
- s6 n& l% `# t* p3 ?" E' ^
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. . a/ n: N' a d. ]! f, a
# Z3 q1 j1 B- f/ S0 g1 X) j
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 4 p' P4 p- a+ z- C( }$ T
- K# c4 w; k& sCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
- _ }7 C6 {# n( b6 R1 H. {% W/ q. R
9 S: K5 ~! U) C1 w0 Y- ? U4 WThe draft budget does not come out until November.
3 i3 q7 b ?8 F0 W9 e
0 Z+ l4 s3 v5 ]2 @$ x"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. + {# n _& p0 n0 V
6 A( W+ y% o. _3 k: T6 l"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." . ?) Q0 S/ ^+ o$ Z- j, z
$ p& T& q' V2 q+ m5 [# w% DMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 8 T" X1 m! P* `" y0 J9 V4 p) G
8 R% S# ?# d" s! N3 Y+ zHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 0 \9 c: K. l. N. F* E. q
; _5 q+ i# }- C5 A" c! S7 {
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 3 h" \4 ?8 h# v
, J: f0 T# Y, _. {1 |/ U
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
X) E( U8 |3 i% i. E" p6 F) P5 Y% c& S0 L) i
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
( \5 o9 Z7 g# e+ L; D
0 Y# R. P" S- q$ {9 p- ~% s# t"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
8 k. a# y- C) M: p* S
8 Z3 E. o4 T: {; D$ \% q"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."
7 r1 _2 J, K* [6 t' g8 _3 z5 A3 v, i) o) L
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. - y1 x$ B$ j+ a* {
6 X# ^: W6 \: Y" e. `* x; H& g
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. - k4 h+ u& j% } ]3 y
. O2 M$ c! c, R5 r! JTax 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
