 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
% n6 L6 b3 e: W. Z% v4 R
0 G S9 S5 _$ G* J! PThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
& K2 t2 ^/ i8 H K3 N3 |! p+ x" ~ h
8 X) w: W7 Z% pEdmontonians 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.
) J8 R2 J" I t* g7 l [
$ v$ L% c; g% a+ AMandel 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.
3 r# \: @+ Q* n/ g: k# U0 j
- Z% F7 b c$ i8 |/ v, Z"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
1 K( k: h3 s/ c+ n9 e* S6 R: R2 ]: I+ ~. m6 X% x* R
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates$ a" I0 h* h, e3 M2 v
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. " Q& ^) ?5 Z$ ^2 T+ w
" {. \% i& G0 C( v9 M; }3 `1 v% B
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
) J& C' ]! C6 ?; b
, |1 Z5 B* _0 g4 L6 R3 `"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 1 d0 ~1 G- m. b* c& @6 F; v3 Q
! s& F4 ^* j& {/ j6 k
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. & T2 V, L. K9 K1 [) M0 f* ~
+ c% \2 t% n) @: q cThe draft budget does not come out until November.
; c' O. z' s3 m, P
% E; m8 D3 x2 f0 `# c) D! C"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. - T. q3 |. j# _& O+ R2 ^- v% a3 b
* N/ Z0 q3 u% f' q ^4 n& ^
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." ' m6 D& Y0 ^6 k
+ Q$ V8 v$ @9 v' c" y
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
9 w7 T$ G2 |' y$ R6 z( h2 k" O
/ l |( C9 w! BHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
* H. N0 x( b5 m, V5 O
2 J2 a6 A: K% d E"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
; @. b5 U! M1 `5 k9 X" e
5 d2 I$ {4 G2 g0 @% q8 y- PScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
( r: S5 s1 g# z; s6 ~% f9 w9 K& p# h3 R* z/ R# C g9 \
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
; g0 S2 ?! _# l8 X# o! z# ?. h s2 h( D5 _
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. , |8 P P _( f" ?' X* b2 ?; W$ g
+ h" O) z" X) P& V) z"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." 9 b$ R' Q- v( q8 I n" {, e( t
q" ^, o, J3 t- [: w: n" B: P" y
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
; O4 X, h% D8 n Z+ c
/ K1 S( G2 ^2 j% hThe 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.
]6 j' Y. D# J1 O* J2 ]# l I
% D# j$ H4 L$ J) }3 @: A d& {Tax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2007-5-9 22:25
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2007-5-10 11:37
