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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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/ A% V# F: E: O) Z# U1 ?2 yThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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1 K- W! F( x5 z/ Q3 sEdmontonians 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. 4 U- y% T) ^3 K: R* l1 `
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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. ' _ e' @" e& ~% n
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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) Q: A# p1 S# g3 @City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates# o( L) r8 r8 F: j3 ]3 h M8 {
"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 $200 a year.
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5 W5 ^ L/ g: d"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. - a* q6 U k8 @% P L8 {0 W
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ' Z! d; G$ M' ]
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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; E5 \4 l( a" m% |7 L"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." " o8 a9 v9 ~6 c& b: a5 j7 h
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ' I- v: A6 S5 v* v/ B
; q" K4 @/ n* O% |4 GHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. [, O5 \- u% n q
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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. * n; G1 y/ w& C9 y& s( m# a# e
1 U: h. T" G$ o( E# V5 q0 i) Z; }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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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. + q F2 I% `. ]1 N. \- M7 Y, S/ }
4 u( s# d& z8 i" _( U"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."
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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n" p6 H3 W) k7 @$ o4 q8 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.
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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
