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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 8 y/ x' \$ N0 \+ h6 A; f
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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. 3 Z+ Y$ c; w6 Z/ T$ b0 K+ N5 k
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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. 9 a% m3 ?. r- M# P5 a* ?
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. . T) x8 S: s7 ~% {' [% X
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates: W- U/ J o: |7 ?' E
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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: _8 _. m+ N+ g4 Q. {A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. & z7 k& _- t7 k' K O! U8 O6 U
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 7 b' V9 K2 Y/ E" ^* c. Y. W
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 4 [1 T. g8 B" q1 \
( z+ P/ t9 j4 ]3 D8 B, k. Z"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. & f# z+ P$ k9 q: C) W' v5 f) D
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." + ^3 i) S! O8 ]; i- h: T( R6 s
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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, Z- J6 k: \6 o3 Z1 x9 HHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. ; b5 T( l. N# O( F
! o- p u5 J" X5 d# G"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 1 x4 `" U6 }; U3 q/ e
- o0 U+ M$ Y+ H2 Z: iScott 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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6 D0 Z9 A' Z* F: }: U, @"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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3 E1 E) m' h; v% J$ J) x"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." " i+ m, c) N$ _0 S1 i8 _/ p5 G+ K. _
: m% w }% q% b: Y: U8 y$ Q! I/ rThe 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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Tax 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
