 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike1 Y& }8 ]2 l( x
! U5 W6 x) \1 l5 |: H: u* e7 r( K! tThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. , H; {( \5 ]2 F+ R6 K5 C/ y: L& X2 v/ y
, H* V+ H$ ?/ S- S4 |3 YEdmontonians 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.
' o; e, s6 o3 K0 A P1 i, d5 s. Z" O6 a+ @0 a7 ^+ c
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.
7 t0 r; Z" g, R0 n/ m. Q0 R. V& p) N
"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
% C3 e# H/ ~. Q0 K) @1 d# s. S( F
4 L- \9 n1 U: L- @* DCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates _# K% B: }! G8 X0 P
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 2 C9 b+ V. O) N# @: v9 ?" ~4 ?8 r4 v
% i+ F! T) X% T1 g
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
* ^! I0 ^2 N# y% [0 t/ ` Q, ~; D+ f$ t2 `/ ~9 d& k! ^" |
"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. + w9 N( ]8 f/ i3 Q. c9 G
1 B6 S9 d% ^' xCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
3 O5 H. q) G1 ?3 G# N/ @1 k ]$ L
! s# e; S, ], ^The draft budget does not come out until November. 3 p* s( g; D9 {" j
6 O' }) T+ H, N6 i, ]$ C"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.
; i8 J! z" T% _7 _% O, v5 H- q w& \/ Q6 r6 |: o
"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
4 ~" ]4 j, d, N5 T3 |6 q9 |$ i: {' @4 G! Q
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. * g0 }0 r& f; L$ z; u
) V0 T/ C2 b4 [* w) I$ a Q
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
+ j7 c5 a5 T. X
0 x" _* [+ o' \) t"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
' J& C! J/ `, l: I) a8 }1 \$ N; m6 G. J
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
6 p4 c k* f+ i+ t7 U, f
8 g0 G1 v% L1 d' j6 {, E4 V% jHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. " _! B5 s& |6 Z Q1 O+ e
8 l2 h: X2 W0 E* O; B/ i. {1 B8 P"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
7 z2 K2 T7 f- C0 z
$ {) e0 u# |) s: {% m4 y6 `! H- a"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."
6 m1 u: J. U- k1 k) }6 ?% ]7 h
3 N; c: K9 f1 q( t/ E }% CThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. M+ s* O$ I. S) ]/ A. N8 y* U
& h) Y4 Q% |7 o; `$ M! L# n
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.
3 k" @- @% i* f" u! c. Y9 f! b# m& n# Y( H4 T' b2 F
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
