The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has called on Edmonton city council to rein in its salaries and spending splurges amid its 6.6% property tax hike. “Ordinary working people didn’t get a nearly 7% pay increase this year, so what makes Edmonton city hall think these folks can afford this property tax hike?” said CTF Alberta Director Kris Sims in a Tuesday press release. “The city clearly has a spending problem and it’s wasting taxpayers’ money on electric buses that don’t work.”Edmonton city councillors passed a 6.6% property tax increase at city hall on Tuesday. Budget documents show spending at city hall has jumped. Between 2014 and 2023, total spending went from $2.2 billion to $3.4 billion — a spending increase of about 54%. Edmonton’s population increased by about 17% over that same period. The CTF acknowledged the city has a growing list of spending issues. Reports show Edmonton spent about $60 million on a fleet of electric buses, but about three-quarters of them are stuck in maintenance bays and need constant repairs and adjustments. The company manufacturing parts for the electric bus fleet has gone bankrupt. Edmonton city hall decided to spend $100 million on bicycle lanes in 2022, despite the climate indicating snow can be on the roads from September to May. After taking a raise this year, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi was paid a salary of $211,488, and the twelve city councillors were each paid $119,484. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is paid $186,180 per year. “The people of Edmonton should remember they have the option of recall legislation and they can force a byelection for their city councillor if they think they’re doing a bad job,” said Sims.Edmonton city council said in May people could expect an increase of about 4.96% to their municipal property tax for 2023.READ MORE: Edmontonians will see an 5% increase in their municipal property tax for 2023Edmonton property owners could expect to see their 2023 property tax notices in mailboxes or inboxes, as more than 400,000 notices were sent out. City council passed a bylaw increasing property taxes.
