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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike$ K6 A2 j# ?/ Q9 d, S( H6 R
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 4 c7 b- P! M/ J" {8 t" d" l
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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. / O5 g# X8 ?: v1 {+ y
8 h, \ ^* h8 R2 C8 U: mMandel 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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6 k+ L: {5 h/ l"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. & e% }1 D; a! B) C4 B5 b( M. i; A1 o
4 Z) n2 \# f7 ]5 s& WCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates5 E" }- o" t' n5 L0 {% x9 [
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ; o* z+ w: [- R% G
" }" ?& D& O0 e/ K4 \0 @A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 5 H+ f. f( b& E
7 e r$ b* C/ f! m2 b) B* V"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. 9 F1 R9 ~- F% s8 c7 ]9 x
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. - I7 T9 s2 t' `+ q( y
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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- F' K3 R7 @6 B6 |8 j: x"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. 3 C+ ^' L. M% ~2 h4 C; V" k, c
2 d A% {1 X; v% _- {"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. $ I+ W9 ?* ~8 z5 B G& O
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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. $ `- U5 m, J+ |2 z) e
9 N) W6 w( s! I"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. & e2 B' Q7 A+ i1 V
" A" t( H1 z0 U' q. `1 `Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ! ^% f! {. `) j3 A, t: ^# |
% @& P( _7 s; M5 gHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 3 i7 v `2 g/ U% I* |
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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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9 L6 k6 T9 t {6 E+ }2 z: Y"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." ' l+ e" K( A w9 b) ?
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The 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. F8 s& f3 m; N, l
1 A' G# `7 v2 r) a- B9 m# k: x5 r, sTax 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
