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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 0 c: G! Z/ F, [" m
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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.
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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.
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 4 F% x' Q) C- G* X$ r& {
( N( Q. _. R9 F$ V% |8 bCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
3 o; q/ A3 d7 ]" M# G"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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* w% g" m2 H' Q) m! f/ `! uA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. - W+ `5 U4 P4 q |
( J4 S1 J* @# Z4 v) m"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. " N8 y1 V0 P/ V, F
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 9 H @; o; l) \/ L& \
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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( U- x$ x& w# C) d* U"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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3 ^7 M" _6 D4 ["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 a% z* H7 \- N! K- W! b
y+ {1 {+ e, F) D8 v1 KThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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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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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
