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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike5 f$ f0 ~8 g- j6 ~) e( \6 [
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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. `( i& }! h* I' X* gEdmontonians 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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# _& g& w5 q8 M( h3 cMandel 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.
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$ t" r# K: }$ T"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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% W a, a' C, I/ |, l8 Z7 s% vCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates. Y1 H0 x$ a" x) p+ _9 r
"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 $200 a year.
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8 ^9 J3 k: _+ b"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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# c1 p6 X5 x5 M( ACoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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% B$ d" @7 F* OScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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! [. [8 ^( {& K" z/ RHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. ( s) p+ ?4 g3 H3 x( n3 }0 H6 z
1 ?7 n1 q# l" P w4 j, i"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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% p m3 U% i2 `5 `" p! [* UThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ! e Z9 s# }4 F# c0 L M9 V/ A6 u! Q
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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
