 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike2 P! J) }+ r. a, D
/ J7 g* v8 g! D5 G: t
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
& W8 H! v8 I' U! G/ g$ J, s, r+ Q( o# ^1 C7 n, W
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.
) H4 ?# \- B+ H8 V1 e+ x
. B2 u# M6 H) vMandel 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.
1 Z# O% n% w% P: Q
) X5 Z3 a) ~: z& Q2 k- |"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. + @7 M) X4 q/ ~ g% @2 K
6 b; a) @1 O7 wCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
- b, ^. ]) z( X"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
( ]" s/ z7 g2 `, q5 ?+ f9 V
1 ?9 H ]6 J+ `4 e) Y& aA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 5 J8 z p, _* y/ j+ i
! P3 V* D3 s3 O/ Q4 L
"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. . {2 H3 T' e% W2 q/ H. H6 X* A
# G I3 Y o5 I0 E. e+ F7 F
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
) z6 u7 W1 [# W
+ T( a: k c+ a/ OThe draft budget does not come out until November.
7 u) k$ ~5 W2 N: s% {# r8 m
5 B" e$ z" N. D"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. : Z# Z% G1 d p) _' e8 d( B/ C
% s) t: T* r9 z: l"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
1 O! v1 h3 ~6 h# U
2 k/ F2 P- N; _Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. : Y: s* x) }8 `- K6 D% {4 [
+ l, [4 e' |: j7 F& _7 uHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
1 j; w$ W T& e8 i$ `$ i$ {2 y
, K6 u8 F, x5 Z$ Z0 J"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. s$ F$ D) Y- ?* V$ X/ H
6 b2 t2 M8 B; Z7 A8 [4 `
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
5 ?4 Q% t/ S( Q6 w" z( I
; ]$ M- u4 b, B' W1 {! wHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
+ W. t ?; q3 U" U! u2 `% l# O9 f
"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
6 G* j/ S6 p% \# L4 S B, b/ O" w. c/ S
"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."
; ~- Z1 r6 [. T4 E6 G: p3 y& Y
1 |8 R$ x3 [ kThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. # G5 Y9 e0 m" n, F) \. P" v
# v/ Y5 z9 H' f: d* l' n3 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. 4 f: F" q0 ]* b7 \5 e' m# Y/ C
# S. u! m: t! N) R _
Tax 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
