 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike# I( q' d/ k! [+ a# Q
( ?) `1 G. n7 }6 y8 P0 {# ]& R7 \Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 1 K' N! X# x% `3 O/ s+ b f
3 F0 M: `) P9 eEdmontonians 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. . }( D% m* F* [1 `. H4 L
8 R, e& U" X6 O5 R8 O1 ~( TMandel 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.
) B2 I5 V2 i$ q. f9 @8 I
7 J1 g3 ^5 G, ]% q. }"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 9 L; e8 f8 O' e1 T2 e/ u
8 ]( D7 k* S8 c5 F4 T3 ^2 tCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
* W7 s; J9 ]+ c' |"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. , h X! O$ t" U) r% `; \' t
* H' @. z# P7 a4 t4 O! Y
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
. C Z! z' O9 Y7 g1 c4 g* V0 [" D3 @! [+ U: l
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. , Y& a, y e& k N( U6 C
0 M9 ?3 P4 H7 X
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 1 W4 ^0 Y2 N3 f' K. M1 t# w0 n
0 q7 R, L8 K' K$ F$ k
The draft budget does not come out until November.
: \" }: X' w8 Q5 S) a J0 L2 b7 g8 j3 e) O9 i, Q8 o ~
"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.
[5 R1 m/ D7 }5 P3 [/ x- L' F0 {! q
6 U) t [" _4 f1 p* m"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." . T; J$ b% H6 k, X
/ k$ t4 ~* m, ~/ `; mMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. / D$ m$ D0 Q) T& w* o
& k, C/ t4 Q i* O- U
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. * u) U2 W( z* b! K: x, g& Z5 i
6 l" Q( k" T h6 l$ b1 f; E"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. * P* I) Q# [. N9 w, N( b2 \
; m1 a; l% v& u$ e4 w
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 2 G! L$ d8 q- Z
4 a S+ D) v0 Q7 d: S9 P( qHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
( P1 l# P/ U5 W7 y; D8 j6 A* e: s5 X/ E- D( [, D
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ) @+ Z$ L0 _9 p( B0 W4 e7 `
( S" m7 `& x8 T7 F7 N+ s0 K
"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."
& ~* K) r( W! N1 U
' r& O0 y" ~8 j i3 c' kThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. % E( \5 q3 H+ ]. j$ v/ f7 E+ q
* E6 K7 b! j& s% r/ t. ] H% y9 mThe 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.
$ P7 W; h% `" X8 i9 p' ?% \
+ q3 X7 O4 b1 v: }Tax 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
