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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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. _2 o2 |3 M% TThink 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. ) v' d: u" a$ c8 ^% m: n, I5 W1 M
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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. . E) D" `' u3 J* h; D M& Q( ~( }
4 u' n0 L8 f; |% d5 w" B"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates! |3 d+ y: G+ x3 W# _0 A; z" t/ L
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 3 w$ Y$ @+ K( G: l, j/ e8 z7 b
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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# v5 j. K0 V4 ~+ v: |7 J0 m/ B B9 rCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. f2 z% t/ r% V! b( k- ~& U1 ^
& N2 l: L& H+ [4 L& r+ P0 z/ YThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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! Z9 R# @# f* E& T: J6 v9 V"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. % n( R3 `: |) ?) m
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. * i F5 t L6 B
5 {7 ?8 l+ E2 R9 X( X% ZScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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" I" O6 y, |7 s4 ?) o' ^7 KHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 5 m. r& b5 e& S$ M9 r$ @1 K U& {4 A
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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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* S0 m" g& L& @1 K$ ?"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." % M4 J" I* @0 D: r
5 v R @3 l1 ZThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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5 N2 l0 a6 g% q+ n/ Q' o* ^/ 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. ! G0 W, R' E6 w5 ^- R# M! v
. [2 s; L& @4 ~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
