 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
6 I& `$ [( M/ G- O6 b2 _9 ]' f- U$ A% S) e- Q
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. . `/ K+ Y0 a) u9 a8 b! i" ?
! f! k& e( H2 ~0 f
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. 0 T! c% n+ ^1 t+ L/ w
1 m" V: _* C( o9 {% Z3 e+ P1 {% G
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. , ^5 m; J' `$ x# h
. V) e4 K1 Y% L3 G1 @
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. * K5 f5 T2 O# e
3 ^: M( i2 U' j1 qCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
' {* S+ g$ I' |/ @ U3 j"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 3 h* y- D( @% S9 x
! `% @9 L4 ^# N/ mA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. . C8 o9 p6 c8 t+ S5 ?, G' c
$ {7 i4 e' c& J"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. " A8 S2 x: O3 d' {; Z
- a S! S' j( {; y! Q" i
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
& X3 |* `; {3 K, O
/ F# H# m+ Y5 o$ \+ e$ m+ fThe draft budget does not come out until November. ( d- y( F% E' j, L& ], G) b
6 }1 }" d7 O7 i) [
"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.
& p3 W) X; b. s5 O2 H* J. b
! w0 I1 ^9 s: S& d& j9 ["It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 0 {9 Y. h2 f( @! y0 i$ O2 { `
7 M0 E/ _: V# K `* A0 a
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
5 v3 H. M8 b( u) z
- S% t" `: J9 F4 bHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. & [9 R3 Z* _. b9 J
' z. g9 a+ m4 C/ N6 E8 E$ f" F
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
& X0 e3 D8 O& [: m8 y4 U
- u0 g- E$ g5 w6 h( {Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 1 \2 l( m5 y' @+ w) ]* n6 I
" u, j. T2 D: n( z
He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 9 H% I# |1 C; h5 S; E2 p! Z
$ C, a% G7 ], l"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. " \6 M/ p; j. M5 ]5 S" O d0 N
8 ]$ S" l6 o* [, [2 t" U6 \3 B"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."
2 E" `' J) E r6 B. r( x O' P. c; p( M+ f _$ T0 H/ ?9 {4 F
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
; B6 |8 W" G" N; M. N
/ ?; B6 m( k6 XThe 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. 9 s$ p# Y" }& z6 |3 B) j
8 k; ^0 ~9 T$ Z0 A/ F
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
