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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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3 k/ O# x8 I$ E3 X% tThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. & |3 R) m( y0 i' @5 j6 {- ]
$ B( u5 z7 |2 |/ f$ d7 c, v6 ^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. % i* m$ p6 x+ x$ q, U2 N
9 `# Q$ b& U7 H2 D1 K: |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. 1 I2 m' \, G2 c. `! a
- H. K3 \5 [/ ~# D: |"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
7 B! K7 v, L3 O* c- p"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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) s. f1 L1 }! w m$ N- T5 JA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 8 c8 D7 f |9 Y9 v8 s
! |: v* F6 M7 Y2 X4 e* y"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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8 K- Z2 G/ |0 mThe draft budget does not come out until November. / ]$ f% ~9 o/ f7 B" Q+ j
$ V- `8 o& r4 u"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. 1 f% k3 C+ j2 x! c9 K) V
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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9 K" C$ D) {( _* f4 V% C( VMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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4 m3 c& H. G* u, R3 i7 JHowever, 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. 0 ~+ k5 t: q0 q# S
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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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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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7 c, V1 @! U* m2 w! c. @& U"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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& o) h9 M, C T9 p8 \6 f* G+ `"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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- t8 w ?6 `, [9 f+ D2 @The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 5 K3 q. ]; x7 c' o. r) n# x
4 x, E' F5 P8 u; `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
