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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. + b0 B' w! V8 P4 e- {0 a
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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. * a. t- J" o! q7 u+ q, J4 b3 o$ G/ l
7 [' h) C) V& r _$ i! `" u( {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. 8 ~( g0 R5 l! [' C' W+ r4 h
" i% P1 B) u! c X4 F$ ?"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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f$ Q' O) q7 x# j7 j" kCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates* F- x# Q; G8 L3 {* m5 l6 a
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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0 b( p& Z- M! |, DA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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9 P/ Q0 X+ g5 @ `- x9 K2 _7 y"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ; K# M* r r( {1 i5 e3 Q! l9 Q
5 y/ n+ E) j" n, oCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 6 |" B1 n! v1 K$ p5 [# X
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 8 L6 |$ D' M* C& Z8 t, D5 X
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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. 0 e% z. s8 K- V. }& R+ v% c. b3 ~; l
6 X5 x* y" x" E3 {"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 ~: {9 G6 ^+ t9 e# w
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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.
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# h* L: P3 T) \/ |3 }2 S/ c"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. * ?, a- h' b1 ^- Q6 |
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. + C7 S5 K* w, z9 E; z
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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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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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"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. - V9 K& y5 [, N- N
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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
