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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike2 I" f; c4 Q% ` u: k! o" b* }3 _
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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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.
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7 x4 A' w c$ E" m9 e6 Q( [/ {, w0 ECity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
- G8 D5 g# Q a& V6 v. D( I: i"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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# C# W/ q4 l8 o% K0 Y- YA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 6 j8 l1 q/ E P6 }7 f' b
: Q7 |6 c& c& s! I* B) r"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ( t0 s& j$ g. X* r# \) O
0 m( j) y: C( q; d' s) uCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. + l% K0 R8 ^! b1 o
* {/ p2 x# d" p7 D" e0 O6 MThe 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." 5 d; Z6 J( X, V' _ q
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. % E4 a$ }! y+ @- c4 X! x6 {4 h
: v- O1 t. K$ R' e; eHowever, 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. 9 _6 t; a+ a0 P1 Q" q" U0 F
9 z" s, K( A8 S. v) jHe 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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! L" T; B7 u+ J: v) T0 I"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. `# V6 Y5 ~1 d8 U( b8 |
! [/ u7 J1 m2 g, h' \: F2 U# P( ~"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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, B( I: v1 Y3 e4 EThe 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
