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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike) E$ y( ?1 H7 V9 q$ g0 M6 q1 i; O( R
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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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. g+ H1 |. N5 ~4 ~- k; }7 a8 u
% \: q( i+ m: TMandel 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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+ `2 P1 O. h! @9 ^8 K- m( I# S"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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6 h7 |2 J/ k0 s5 d1 uCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
% i, l. z- p& }. o2 m"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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$ C* u/ x0 T" G2 bA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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- m( w$ v6 q" {"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. * V) @, `, L% A5 ?9 c4 H; v
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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.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. . n+ \. ~' g! p5 ~; O3 A5 {
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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. ' x. s7 j& B# Q6 S' o+ M2 z4 e ~
- i$ T* h; C2 F0 e: g! y"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." ) Y) h6 s' z! a1 N: e+ w/ z
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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1 {$ |+ D2 ?) f# f' e& xHowever, 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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- z! e' z6 N: P) a: v3 |Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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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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' V% j' c: s Y9 Q) j5 B+ L! }: |; R"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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* R7 v9 t( T" g8 P+ s. k/ l; M, `"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." . s. F+ `- S5 K; I! i
% }& W$ n( c* T; @The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ) A% u. Y ~1 D" [' X r
2 Z1 `/ S: B$ ^% FThe 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. 1 g2 c& |+ L/ q4 g
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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
