73% of Edmonton homeowners oppose tax increase in 2019: poll
Edmonton- During the City of Edmonton’s 2019-2022 budget deliberations, Prosperity Edmonton commissioned a poll to measure Edmonton homeowners’ opinions on City spending, taxation rates and related topics. In their responses, nearly three in four homeowners agreed that it’s time to hold the line on tax increases for both residents and businesses.
502 respondents completed the poll (conducted by Leger), which was available online from October 23 to November 5. Results were weighted by respondents’ gender, age and city quadrant to be representative of Edmonton’s population.
73% of those polled felt that after a decade of rising taxes, it’s time to put a hold on tax increases. Just over half (51%) believed that City of Edmonton should hold off on any new municipal spending, even if that means the City can’t improve the services it offers or begin providing new services. The poll also showed that these issues are a priority for homeowners in Edmonton – 82% of respondents stated that taxes will be an important factor in their voting decisions for the next municipal election.
Respondents were also asked their opinion on possible ways to curb City spending and avoid tax increases. A majority (63%) supported the idea of operating new recreation centres on a revenue-neutral model, possibly by contracting a third party to operate these facilities. The cost of wages and benefits for City staff was also a concern – 83% of respondents felt that it is unfair for City employees to receive higher salaries and work fewer hours than the average Edmontonian, although data from the Government of Alberta’s ALIS website indicate that this is currently the case.
The full results of the poll are available here.