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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike8 _ a' i8 ~% ?0 n. n5 t$ a
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. " o( `4 {& P" u( c0 X2 p+ `
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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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! J- [* ?. @, 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. 5 Q1 v8 v8 A9 u( j0 t+ J
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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3 y& I6 }! |8 S& Y- J1 MCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates" V0 Q( _5 g& [" b
"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 $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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2 r# [5 b3 ]! a3 [& o0 wCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. : p3 k: N& ]8 F1 x( m/ u, k5 g
" p. }. ~9 I4 p"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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4 P+ j- y1 T, P9 G$ b$ q3 kMaurer 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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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. + ?$ I- o; c5 Y) D( L
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ( y F4 D% M7 X) q2 b- b8 Z
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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.
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% q* H- ^+ }1 s"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." : g9 T8 S. G- `' r, P3 a& \$ h
9 |, B8 W4 n7 f3 S: ?$ o7 n5 bThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 3 X' {/ O. W: j9 u3 N" x1 e" [5 K
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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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: I3 A% B! j8 @) C; T+ {7 u ?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
