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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike7 r7 m- Y5 L ?# g. R( C6 ^
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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( [# G* v8 c% M% HEdmontonians 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. " c9 M- v; I! k( X# ^) Z
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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. 7 d; T) Z& o4 O/ ?2 Y$ K R' o
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
! H+ U/ d: k& c' \, ["Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. $ O" x+ a6 z+ ~4 |
* p0 s0 B4 j$ |- V$ z0 u* L, qA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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& J, e% T! v% D# F"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. # Y2 j1 y0 l/ O# ]$ s
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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. . }) `% T, Q6 ~
, h, g6 \! G. g; x; s) m8 J8 hThe draft budget does not come out until November. * W0 y# ?9 z X
$ M/ h! w% i" S) _3 u"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. " `+ B# w5 l! W) d- o& ^
C. R$ x' p# L. u9 K7 D"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 9 @: q) X8 |; [* e& L, g7 @) q3 A
$ M/ G- q3 x( ` p6 `# e0 QHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. * _! X2 @2 q0 l9 `$ {6 p. C
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. # Q/ Q+ D1 d% J$ F1 O0 n* G* |
7 L/ h/ n7 ~) U. gHe 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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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. , y9 S5 W' Q3 g7 G+ c
5 S, |0 Q6 a( y* H# Q5 _"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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2 z" Y9 G# T1 P! h0 @7 |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
