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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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3 {, H7 V7 R% H8 \8 y, l% vThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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) Y* B2 v( K# L" S. r/ REdmontonians 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.
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. n# f( E! Z: T8 q( j) {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. ; n) l/ f$ \( ^/ Y
6 }' y$ R8 V% M"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, D+ v* a) X. y5 _
"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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. + l1 v7 {5 G9 K9 u+ g
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. / j' k! p1 d! Y6 p1 |- t
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 6 O) H4 `) I7 A0 r4 S a# e7 p* N- c
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." & k4 ` L( \+ C7 {! p5 u8 i
- d p! S \/ \6 N: a4 o4 v( U4 K% @- AMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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: o* m. N4 c0 k; D+ F+ l2 {# W5 |* lHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. # v. z& d( u: x" G$ \8 ]) v
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ( I. M: C1 y# l2 H) [. @% w, A2 [
; ^" `7 ?6 N# ^( b! R# Y! BScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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! p% a8 R+ X+ I3 ~' F" P6 hHe 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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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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9 T7 q& P4 L9 i' A"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." " F6 ]( q& j+ l' U
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ; ]7 r% k$ i; l6 P; S7 S; [6 D
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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.
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1 m% M& T2 o2 e8 A) ETax 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
