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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike/ b- u* L% m; R9 U# G% F$ ~- C
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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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. 5 N6 a$ P2 p) ~1 F& l8 k' F
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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. 3 v/ _* r( c* H
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 0 ~. N6 U4 v, K; P8 S
# U7 P* m! @0 B8 I# v# Y3 p/ lCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
# k; g5 J ~6 Q% L. H) f% D"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 9 i; @# W' O: M1 b
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ! G9 r4 F' z. {, x
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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5 s4 p$ P# J: kThe draft budget does not come out until November. 2 z$ x, [- b M7 j3 g4 }9 t
- T+ z" p6 N6 R$ V1 H& Z"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."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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5 b: S# L6 y' t/ W* g$ u- A7 ~However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. ! {! s5 Q, q5 y
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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. * V8 Q& _0 {8 X2 ?
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 1 ?2 M: X6 O% g8 y5 M0 ]4 V' ]
# j, ]" I& Y# V4 z: [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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2 h4 l; c3 q, Z0 _ } e"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ) e7 S8 d8 \' i8 _# F5 y! k
6 O J* r4 D! ^8 h$ k+ J; s& g" w$ A4 |"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." 5 h8 B1 Z' h% E; r! x
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ( g- l: D6 q5 \
5 D9 Z! e7 m9 C3 pThe 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. ; a3 y5 R5 y+ R$ `
( t0 g/ K5 U: R m2 yTax 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
