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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike/ t6 R4 R: M, D
- s% E+ D8 n. O6 M$ mThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. $ K5 Z e8 s' q5 L; S
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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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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. % B" u; D3 k, p- s# f
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates `# q/ s6 i+ ~" I/ I
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ) h5 f, b' K9 o6 N5 y
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ~6 ~( ~. T: [# u# C& ]
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The draft budget does not come out until November. ( M) k0 m6 {: w; J1 |" l& z# L9 s, f
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." % ~3 B$ b% [4 J
: i5 w$ g9 q5 m# z+ D" T, LMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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/ y6 L1 y3 T* k, T2 a# U2 j1 JHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. * C# Z6 D, S; X3 |
% k$ V5 L9 G0 R1 N' \"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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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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& \7 s& F1 `7 b u k6 ~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. ( p! N$ a4 L9 f
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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." ! c& M' n! P0 \% k M _( l& D
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 9 ~7 h5 P' Y+ j! A! J% g2 m
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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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0 l3 a9 G( [$ `: xTax 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
