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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike2 G$ ]8 I e9 k2 y. w
7 E* Q5 [4 S, w! u, J9 BThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. : z* N8 v% |* e6 Z* I4 Z2 Z6 w4 f
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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. ) f, E% c e9 P5 J8 @4 H
7 u+ c- F1 `! v& N+ P1 mCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
; r* L7 j: g* Y. ]+ C"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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m+ n+ \; s$ ]A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 7 Y8 h9 O2 _) n$ f3 @
1 Y( t4 X/ Y' \" v1 [5 uCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 2 B: l+ n8 q, p) N5 R) g0 V
# H% Z" x0 c9 s; d7 ^3 N1 j5 S) }The draft budget does not come out until November.
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1 T$ t5 y0 Z) B9 _: S% R"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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% [* ~* G2 h6 M0 D% }$ G"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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; E, {- z) e, T6 \' TMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. , p) x1 ~: e7 B# d3 _. S: G& Q( z
9 K! n/ |. i' W1 P5 L1 XHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 0 m) S% X2 X2 e1 h4 y8 D( r+ J+ y
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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. 1 x+ |: j9 O! c& a q
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. & e8 Q, j3 j1 }2 F+ j% h6 ]
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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. ' \ F, V: c8 z9 U5 Z3 H! k& K
6 M" L. w: I: G. R/ k i"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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"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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$ O. K0 b W. j% a* ?The 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. ( R) p" e1 j4 ]7 {7 `' a
7 v) ?5 q/ E) |" iTax 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
