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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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Think 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. 8 h# R) k+ `% k7 U* O1 b
6 K& m6 P2 N" P3 S- KMandel 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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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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9 @1 [5 n" j( M o) w6 E4 iCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
- q5 a: h }% l% V"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. & O! N7 J1 a5 R/ c
& c6 q0 n- Z/ l: @A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 7 {/ F& { F: Y. N3 \6 Y
+ K: R. V/ X) A"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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/ R* y- X2 w7 x: PCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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, A' s# @; c* w2 z' W3 fThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 3 V! D3 J! N* Q" G
- ~) j9 p* E# }, A4 `4 m# G8 |However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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3 J1 `* B" [5 hScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. & c5 i. c6 Q) {" W
; Y& G3 v* ?; IHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. & G. ]- ~9 Q, o6 f/ U4 m( i8 g, u
. n, H' q7 \+ A"I don't know what some of these members of council are going to be able to say to some pensioner who got a 2% hike in their pension." 1 y% s k: B/ Y4 O/ g
. V+ `/ a6 R$ E, FThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 1 [% Y5 n( a5 X. l8 c
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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. ( ^" W5 C& g, l+ Q9 r, g
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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
