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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike) |) V* g5 t, Q, d! b- I
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. ( s- v0 H) Q" Y3 c
) j1 k, k( r( \" n. Y* uEdmontonians 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. 1 K! Y4 j) D" T; h
" u- J( X( k) ]0 D' dMandel 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. % ~( `1 C2 i) m
: z; x2 f' I) f"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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+ g% z: _( }* {& X' fCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
5 E; d6 r M: W# K6 Q' ~0 A7 `"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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& K" v! s9 C. x2 ?: m& cA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 4 Z+ m. J5 B( `! w
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. / |9 }. h _& W/ k& U$ v
+ I. X- C9 z7 y/ z' U9 MThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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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. 5 v4 V; D" i i4 A% b. {2 j' C
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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. 4 s' h6 R. d$ }: |5 Z3 O
6 g0 M9 h& g. Q% r5 }4 t"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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! c- O" L: M& C/ y v2 ]Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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A8 X* G/ k) \% H5 b* WHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. & A$ y& \+ M$ a. S2 e2 R
9 f8 T- ?1 `$ D"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. . k+ M1 M: l% A9 o- a* a7 F
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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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- ?2 q3 \! j: S+ U) \( fThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 6 _0 m: r/ U* Z
3 E! q* Q. A1 OThe 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
