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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike2 B, s1 v: n% v O6 O
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 9 ?) q9 @5 v: P V+ H5 ^' o4 S5 d
9 _- |0 D( J# f% K8 ^5 L9 IEdmontonians 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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' f$ k0 d5 v) U# p2 ^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. ) [" \8 O3 A( W t; G. b
8 X( p* X/ k( B1 {8 }5 R3 Y" V4 V3 I"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 8 r) ^+ F! V+ i) }) _+ W
7 M' c' `/ g, P4 bCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
% p2 |$ u, q1 L3 H9 d9 p9 Q"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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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% p4 W$ j$ Q* c$ zCoun. 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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# @. t5 _ L m1 q% ]+ ^The 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." 1 s+ ^/ c2 `1 n; H
/ K7 }- h0 d& F6 t7 E: M+ ZMaurer 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.
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) ~) m# E) j; v* i' ]3 Q; J0 {"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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' s6 |6 Z* t! d: t/ `9 f$ yScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ; k! f1 {; I3 R# |4 t: T, d$ b1 x
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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. 4 Z) s* v. b; r; v3 G* [
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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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# a/ E8 I6 v9 i4 fThe 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
