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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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, A/ c9 x) ]* M& K3 O. l& [3 VThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ' Y0 b) @. X4 p! z$ ]6 x$ R, x) A
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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. 4 [' S5 ]7 s9 d/ }, B) A% M
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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. 0 z) m0 j' l0 n% X0 i, a
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. . T/ k; C; Y( `$ h5 S
0 w# `# F) ^% T) h9 W& iCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
# ]+ r+ @5 r0 ^0 d9 N"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. B \- _8 l3 }2 s2 V5 k
" j8 ~% ^, ?* @- w"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. 1 H8 x* _6 k% X- k
E+ l8 g, p7 E9 E! r# p, VCoun. 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. % q' u# u2 E! H+ l9 ]6 i3 K+ t
: R' p; o( L. }2 zHowever, 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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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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1 K1 i5 @4 g) z' J7 KHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 4 L6 c) I0 w& h) o+ S2 T
2 X, k9 b3 M6 g3 x M"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." $ T; }. K' M5 Q) {4 _
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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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! l6 t/ J7 }/ o/ O% F jThe 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
