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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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4 \7 s% ~3 M5 G7 jThink 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. " l# e" c5 U0 s1 y% p, {. o5 B
) F: h& k* \. H1 zMandel 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. ' D- b3 a: Q1 x$ z. p
5 A h/ O9 v8 S7 g' E4 `- k! M"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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- N7 H0 |; D, S* p. D% [1 DCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
" H$ c3 e$ Z5 y. s' p"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 7 I! s; m. w# f) K: W0 ]' C/ m8 L
, I7 T# D5 k+ T3 mA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 2 T( }% [" P: |4 D5 {
* X0 u# }: s" m* Z"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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1 j+ S' ^; V9 A9 EThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. + f1 n& e& G0 o
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 2 x9 E; S; l+ s. o% s0 G1 E3 H
" Q L( N, E: T7 xMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. # y! W R J% N8 I- s" L
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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- k6 \, B+ R8 x* } d"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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9 r P7 e2 ^' ?. s( OScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. * {' f. m8 H2 x$ d6 U' E: A
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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. ; q2 ~: b# o5 X* y! m; k! J- x3 x% S
! V) p6 F- Y5 U"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. . I/ s# Y2 R8 G' a! t u) r
7 }9 o" b. ]( l6 H7 c. n8 p"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." * f9 @6 E! r3 {* ]7 X" f! a! [
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. " F( `) n+ }8 s% T
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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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6 J3 s) a5 Q. P8 c) eTax 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
