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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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* O" s, X; `# e! Z: w8 v% v' qThink 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. 3 t2 L0 V; ^. }) {' H
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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. 2 R6 H; T+ g3 u1 Z$ l3 |% s$ G
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. ; a* g! V/ C( q6 y* y2 q
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates5 }4 f" c: l* D0 S$ T3 k
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ) y6 J4 G0 ]- i! D9 y8 {
v3 C: W5 L- F7 A' UA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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& X' j% L( s6 k5 I* k# ]% _Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. " l& S j4 `$ T7 |8 ?$ m
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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. 1 H5 B& r3 F5 Z2 K8 p8 d2 u0 {
, V0 f3 b+ ^' r6 L K"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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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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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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- M& ~5 c0 K; Y$ u" rHe 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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8 O! a/ B: |2 r, h# |"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. , Z7 ?8 C5 z; F' G) F1 k; j
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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." : p, y, `6 ^% E. k; O
2 y/ N7 W7 g# D/ b$ hThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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# I1 d J7 N( R% P- \# S9 CThe 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
