 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
/ L+ E' I" x3 v7 F
& H: L @1 A0 W0 T1 ~% `, VThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
4 r1 M! ]7 ?$ x- k
6 t! h7 h) y7 b9 r( s$ jEdmontonians 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. % Z; q( g! H! y; ]# V* k
2 h: d; p' U# P/ @8 N! cMandel 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. 4 ~- [9 N k" o. ?7 s+ f0 S, o1 }
% {: I. o/ V2 f3 r2 p' V; Q
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. , T+ D. f# n9 o, }8 ?
( K% P" R" A) t; t
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
) `, Z3 o. V" E8 |' u% n"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. + z& G9 p5 Q4 E7 N. a% ]) X
( B @& P* r2 C, q8 {" x. X6 }
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. # c H# R' N5 X/ }! G5 E# ]
/ d9 H5 k* n; a5 Q) e2 U- S"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
, E5 m0 w4 ~( }8 v' l5 r! b; m( u p/ `* {
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
: E& L- x5 H& D" S! x3 f+ _6 F9 s! R4 o$ G% U& t F
The draft budget does not come out until November.
0 w& i4 i8 I9 j/ A( ?4 Y& Z- G; }* T" F% D7 k: y
"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.
1 T6 E8 ?; r- E' A8 {: @5 Q& g& n- @/ e
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." # E- H! i3 R5 u" N2 {4 Y5 H
F- R( h! @4 Y0 H" s( ?
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
/ @: V+ P6 N! B% S$ K1 t2 P" Q3 q4 A- S$ ~1 b
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
. F' Q7 H) M' N$ K6 K/ ^7 A
: a3 ^& H& ]3 [" `"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
# H8 p# s: R1 a. N3 }1 i8 q0 v* [5 {1 y w) n
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
- Z' G: m3 N+ W8 W
; l# x8 `+ k4 X3 HHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. ; q# @4 p' Q: z& @' j' d9 i+ F+ p* x
& c' P d) G* o) u; f
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ' X% a$ x0 y! b4 b0 J$ ^ G: N
4 a3 b+ c' L2 E4 ], _4 ^"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."
3 f6 |+ s, g$ x3 Y+ C- O9 b* J1 j6 d& r
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ' H4 U- n; f) L6 [% l
* l" _$ Y1 S0 a: a( 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.
& @/ c# t: ?) } H8 C* B! G+ ~/ q) S) W* ]! _) O* j
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
