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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike# R# ]; \) s; k+ U/ s! f
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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$ a/ A2 h4 p# c- B2 i# T% SEdmontonians 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. ) b9 _0 Z. V3 U8 n1 \; D) I5 `3 Y; [
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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. ( A6 n* h3 U8 ^# ]+ t
0 a5 W$ M0 O, Z"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ( L% u* v! V/ Y8 j0 t& Z
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates \. [/ C* V& l0 _+ ]; u
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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5 ~* a v" }4 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. ' J7 d0 r! D. B; _
& J# L0 @, C/ r# Z, A( o5 DCoun. 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. 5 \: M* s, `1 Y8 Y C/ Q! E
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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." $ b Y! U" a* R5 W) H% n
; P6 M- R( a6 B' ~# ^( X. }( s( f. AMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. & E4 J' K; F% H
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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. " ^3 B; S) Q9 i, s5 I i
- X9 K V* J, x( N"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 1 \4 N+ S3 e" G2 ]
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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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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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: J9 J$ j; ~8 @# p% x& t"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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* ?: o) ]$ P7 I1 L' k8 N; k"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."
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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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8 I. S2 G' E8 rThe 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. + }% V2 E: U) _: r- L ~+ d
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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
