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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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6 }6 R! p- z2 z7 ]+ UThink 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.
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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.
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. `# s9 E* x( S$ P! M"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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' o/ z6 q7 X4 H* ^/ XCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
/ [+ p8 }! I8 M"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 8 |% h" }8 n/ R! y4 v
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ! h. C1 _! s- `( p
T# n6 b5 l* l5 G( h7 W$ P1 H/ VThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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* j9 `4 n9 t* t2 @$ p9 _% p* N( j"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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: q: b$ {* f/ h3 h" w4 @"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 6 S% l7 y3 v# O
. h* v% U, |! B/ Q3 AMaurer 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. , {8 Q* a5 E7 [3 I
/ r8 J* i' p0 R/ ]) K# f/ z"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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& A2 a( U2 r& \. eScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. % }# F7 E6 g+ d" k* Z4 O
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He 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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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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$ J' X1 B" x1 l"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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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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The 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. * Y B/ L1 O! S9 ]! B1 o* J
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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
