 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
6 M+ q) e5 F/ p& a( x1 g! A$ T/ F
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ( f6 r) D! A8 F) q/ |1 l
6 `# b+ l/ p7 h" [- U- ?# dEdmontonians 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. * u9 D" @. s. M2 {! T9 [& c" J; _
6 k' Z) ], {. t3 R- Z% R8 B
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.
; U6 \' Z( q8 L; P- t" m7 P, f2 o |1 e5 [
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ) v8 }2 C- J* @3 M- w
# O8 N6 I/ U& b/ X
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
6 h- z9 S- c$ x: ^"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
+ ~2 Q6 o. y; p) l' E( e* F( p( P6 X$ s. P4 ^
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. / g. e' ?" u0 I1 w
/ }! [8 D8 d& g. u"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. , C. m( ?6 |/ h/ Q9 B
* v8 u& i( [! c! _- l/ C3 o) f$ J
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. % o6 z# Y; b& O( x$ b- `
6 H }' R h' \ CThe draft budget does not come out until November.
7 R! {- _2 O! x, M+ _7 j6 E- H
& e0 s1 h* R+ |1 ]3 s( ~"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. . I2 G' F' H" P1 ~ }+ V
2 }2 `5 k) Y. M
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." % a+ j3 }7 x/ R6 q
* \- s4 _( G* }* a# G3 ]
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 5 J* ^6 |; M9 l4 J/ w+ @
. h, v6 m* z3 C, yHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
) _; t& s9 @5 E# C9 R, u- P4 K0 @
"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
, j2 W9 f( v' ?
3 m9 M7 T8 l' w* ?' R: W4 Y# eScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 8 c! y7 f8 f9 C# X/ _9 k) [
3 F" l+ T/ Y3 a" P0 R* Y: UHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 7 E- }, ~" ]2 W( r# `$ @
0 ]) P$ K: F4 k0 ?/ }
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
$ p+ u9 V* s9 {2 W! K$ U; H( l2 N- L& P5 M; w5 S/ \
"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." * m8 L5 X( u' `" S; c2 t
9 V8 ~+ t" t9 b3 Z. ]
The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. + W% R7 _3 O% \4 d' f3 K
% ]1 i" ^9 }( [( 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. & b7 T Y6 l* r( h. U
+ }" @$ i! o8 L6 D' X
Tax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2007-5-9 22:25
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2007-5-10 11:37
