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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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9 k% i+ r% C7 `( L( O2 H5 cThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. . F% f K: W2 c& g( {* A+ e4 H
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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.
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1 g) g+ o+ M9 Y) {* j. v9 M3 N0 bMandel 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* v& e/ W9 _% B" O. T+ @3 F, J"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. : u8 h: e V# f$ y9 T4 L y
/ x3 |, H7 n# d3 P) T/ L; H- bCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
+ f8 x+ F5 m: X# a5 s"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. ; N- C8 S3 O! |5 g- t8 D/ s! E
5 N9 X7 n+ m* G8 \9 ]"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. / S5 W, ~& ^8 J- s' \- [
2 U0 h/ ^: Q' b V. O: W2 nCoun. 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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6 _( m( G" b- \2 X, O A1 O! C2 y& pThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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# e/ z( Q* E7 ^" x/ P9 r"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.
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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.
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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. % Z0 a" L- K6 Z: t8 n+ e
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. % {) V/ T' d: d, c, [5 p
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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. 9 I2 {& v* n* R
2 X3 K9 {* d( A6 ^. L"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 3 c, e0 Y" p% ^) L
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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." 7 i( X0 r) S# J2 s6 w
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. q" Y9 h; q5 R5 S1 u. l
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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.
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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
