 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
. ` E' b7 V) Y0 J) O# L6 w8 E5 }" _, Z; B% _) v( K: K
Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
8 t3 l6 c; f* E7 r. S! J& k" [1 Q& l* Y: K+ _
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.
" i$ V, E% J) e# t8 S2 D: P- c8 X1 D- d" X
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.
+ ]$ _& `5 U3 F5 U; a- _
& x9 @& I( I+ E6 S; p- T0 A% R"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
; _( h/ k6 i# s; M0 s$ T% r* v" X4 p! B9 ^1 @
City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
D; S( @. v$ j( Y7 W( R( a"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 4 X. D: A+ q7 E* |" L8 k% {- W
, Z" t7 R# J+ t3 RA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
" |6 C2 K/ p) s; m( T! [& e
& m+ D7 }( l2 u* Q"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
! U# g/ L- [6 w, v ~$ G# B( h N) \- C
Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
; b3 H. V- P8 L# | m# n! y$ T! s' E$ t, E; h* ?$ z" G9 N
The draft budget does not come out until November. % V$ n4 M3 r0 L7 {: f: A, ?
' J! y$ k# F2 `" [, U& L6 a
"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.
; r0 r. c d' \% X% V1 ^
" u2 w% m, T# ~$ y7 v1 u"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." - q* l( H' B6 ^8 j+ t: r
9 ~6 p6 Z+ ^% r5 ?0 |0 }
Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
' h) @3 _1 v: P. U3 R
R. E$ G( Z" D- c& K4 R1 eHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. / r& @ P$ Q- f; j1 [
" e% o6 r9 }; O: u, e"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
+ i' F F6 u! i7 g. R4 w' E! ?" u, K" s/ p
Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
: R5 e9 f$ j" G3 u6 l
* P1 K; l) \6 t2 h+ o# @He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. & `+ q) V( a$ [* T
3 R0 P0 f0 B6 g! Q, _( {' h8 F: u"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. 9 X# F2 H; _' o& p4 [; S
+ G6 W& Z: D: O3 y- t- p H& ~+ R
"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( e; z( n1 p: s4 B
g! n! }; E6 W. N5 ?0 @3 @9 cThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ! d _, P: B$ s1 {. t4 ~
) G7 S! S' P* ^4 l8 oThe 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. 2 ~8 U4 L, i' P5 y3 J/ v
& M* _6 M' P# I6 hTax 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
