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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike0 l2 _( w0 x' s. X% D9 a+ I( V
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ' N* M% N. l$ |, q& B- D0 J
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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 C. M2 C6 U3 h9 u$ e% i# d2 B
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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.
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- a: s$ C- T6 H9 L. w; i"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ) N8 _% {8 j3 B: y% m! I
- m2 Z; ?' V; I4 j# ?- N5 wCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates$ G8 @! T( _& T
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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3 h! D! P& s. S4 p5 `A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. : H- C( g. n1 ^( Z5 N
8 F# Z3 s5 t3 o1 PCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said. 1 R) {* d3 U" ?0 D9 Y6 M6 ]% ^
Z9 }7 K5 ?6 j. e! l' }+ }( Y"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." : b% ^3 z8 L; p& _% J' J; X
) H5 n( M6 F1 ^2 \- V0 ~! d' _% P- z; UMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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0 J; b* s" s g( L4 X) h"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 8 c6 A: z4 x) k$ Y
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 9 q v3 Y; R4 a' U. c, q$ J# }
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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. 7 Z, W% g$ [7 H- n" `2 \* y
1 R. Q% s; V, ?* H2 ^"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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! N4 V0 d' 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." , o6 @1 S7 r) _( s+ y1 w
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The 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
