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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike" ^3 Z# E9 T3 O0 C3 @4 K( N
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet.
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# D( F: [! c9 ^. I, jEdmontonians 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. , D4 X" ^' B' ?9 f5 z
6 t( M1 l i, S% j7 _ f$ p' L' rMandel 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. : j, d( _0 x" |
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. % u Z: E8 N' {& r
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates# ]! s! z) P G
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. " }3 i6 p9 p. ~" Q% t
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 7 |5 j& F4 B$ M1 K5 c
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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. . H [9 B6 C9 x, v+ t
3 c$ g" f) I x4 r2 \( `8 ]: j) zCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 6 S. n3 a6 p& V" `
* |2 C8 ?. V2 Q l1 x1 Q' [The draft budget does not come out until November. " c( W7 n) P, p" _/ \# l
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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. , A% M; ~. Z, o/ g9 ?( A
% z1 n* b9 R$ SHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 1 b5 _, `) t3 X! h
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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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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. & I6 ^6 p" f. a; t9 @
& G% C2 z( [8 |' @# RHe 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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( e3 P$ p# k6 {3 R: P"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." + s1 \ ~+ h0 X" V
1 Z2 N# t$ g4 T, c3 p% d6 nThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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7 A# E, w. I3 i3 I' xThe 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. ) R& B O( o4 O/ a0 C1 K) ~6 [( M) [, y
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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
