 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike. Z& X. Z# ~) h) X% N
! O% a, H0 ]( W CThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
$ ~) U5 F q3 o* y
2 x0 n, v2 `( e- Q7 [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. 9 }1 [0 Q5 r5 v2 ?& W& Q$ R
( ]: t" [& i5 `- p* x7 a
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. . g M% l2 O7 i7 e
7 W/ H j3 b! t" {1 i( g"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. * h: y1 M9 _' M8 K: t* H
: v2 T3 h% g; }% L8 S* w6 \
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates# B: H, m0 G5 P1 [8 ~: D
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. " x7 ]/ f7 c) {/ S4 e+ O
5 j4 S" F% W8 s; x8 z
A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
1 m u' Q3 o$ q4 a( @- q& o# O! q% o& c
"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. : d$ k' L8 B. f+ P. L# x
* V- N+ f) j- N6 t$ BCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 6 y2 w0 b1 }% `! T9 R8 Q, U- t
9 q- Y$ `4 G7 x' l
The draft budget does not come out until November. , m% v9 H1 q6 E; T* s
: N' f- S0 }! w% `" S"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.
7 i1 k0 K& ~9 D2 a6 t" Y+ R
& p6 y4 q0 ], \8 s% m"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
8 N& I4 q: D( i+ c# V( Z8 k! f/ e: `1 H) L. i* h
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. / e3 Y6 a. c2 k6 L' N( Y$ K
+ O) d! d4 ?6 @9 D& Z$ B1 f
However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
- \0 p: G" O0 `. {; I6 O2 }
* h" h/ N* [+ t7 p# ^. j. R"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ( V$ I; U8 S& g" ^; U8 K
4 k( W5 j: C2 X& H+ j* @$ @
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. . x9 E) s+ Y h1 E
9 ~9 c* d; T a9 e- H, X3 [& WHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. X" [6 d6 r/ K+ h# h3 ?" Q
- S/ r) C! l2 X+ p: @/ {/ f"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
3 D8 `. d5 j0 l6 K4 z F
- l' F5 J" H2 z" s D0 P: F( h' Q"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." 5 ?5 G7 L6 h9 t- h; `* L
# W2 ^. B% X% Y" E, cThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
) L2 |1 @" e5 M; c: [
$ {- C% q! C# L2 x: x/ w7 dThe 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.
# G4 }; X- J% g* D0 |
+ O$ X$ b( H( j* X6 u, uTax 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
