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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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( Z) x& S$ p- s: P$ fThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. , E3 ~6 {" F# ^$ 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. 4 p0 I6 o5 L& k/ S; u2 u& Q
+ Y! J$ b8 {' k6 kMandel 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. 8 V4 Y: C3 Z4 C' ~' Q5 H
7 h1 N- @ b3 m6 k2 L# c"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 3 T1 ]6 p# _# [1 ~0 f0 b0 P6 ~* j
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates; d5 _ |; E& n
"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 $200 a year. - Q. x9 ^. Y3 k" Z8 `
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 7 j* e( q7 {$ y' F* i. D+ X9 j: |
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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. , W' w1 {2 s) s, w( C' a9 y# b
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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0 [) v# v# N- M8 W; xMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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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. ! l, @8 u W1 P9 b
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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. ! ^8 b( J' g4 ?3 e, G# {
" s' S: D" c/ vScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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U% R7 P8 H/ C* e% `6 q9 jHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 8 G7 d- W l- f
8 V/ x# ^8 n1 p5 I' B1 w- b3 S6 v: |! [- f"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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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 4 Y1 A ^$ r/ B. Q4 Q: v' Z5 \- L( B
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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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1 i# @% j# F# G; p+ ]) aTax 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
