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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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1 Q, V3 i$ f+ Y* xThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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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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( o t( V8 u. E1 N$ }# I3 \. KMandel 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. $ z$ @; I, r9 v/ U) O
' [0 o& v( z1 L, f9 [3 k/ [0 f" ]"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 0 I7 N! x1 \4 D5 w
/ w; u( b* y) x$ i2 S0 v! ICity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
7 l' O {3 V0 V& j$ g% o5 G7 u"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. % g I# o7 j( p* }8 a
3 v5 X( _: ^' _; b4 l; N8 `A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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0 A' V6 {! m+ E: w4 [Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. * t* H5 j) I- L3 ?4 P9 I' u
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 7 m* i6 p$ z2 I+ k( ^! o I, B
! D/ K; x/ n/ H) D4 n/ ?# N"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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# K" V! A3 \5 ?"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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: ^6 l: F! x6 {, F. a5 nMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. " M v1 ^2 h3 \
7 @+ R- h: x5 d0 I+ j1 ]' s: D* fHowever, 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. + L, V8 R. M$ R# W$ ^+ e8 B
& e# F9 M m3 o3 q6 cScott 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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"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." % c1 G7 p$ n" J3 v1 o
3 ?* ~% b8 i# [% BThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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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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% {5 M( \5 L. ^+ U- j6 k. JTax 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
