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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike$ v: l( o" w" c) R7 [& |
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Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 7 S$ ~0 n) X8 ]- ]1 C( p) i
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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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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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/ g l; M1 k! T" {! E5 P9 [City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
) G) @0 R+ B7 E/ }' ~"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ; s5 \* q2 J [
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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6 B% y0 I9 W) I. d1 C' p2 u( ]. CCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 4 ^, m( y+ f% [$ D, |# ]
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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. 7 I! v$ D8 \9 C. @0 |
5 W& p" C# b$ @! ]; z0 J"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." - j p2 |" T1 |# \" Z- Y. [/ ~
, v% f% p$ Q; ~3 WMaurer 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. : O G' u! ]# |
! R% C9 v2 K5 o3 K0 `8 r7 ^# G. b"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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# T$ S/ o: A$ e, @; |) kScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. : D( ~$ J% i; g6 I
( W. o# q7 ^9 [3 g' vHe 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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. _* \, t$ t$ q2 d E"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 a' y8 d' M! m, R3 L& C# f/ t0 VThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. # O: |# L* G N
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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. - b, @5 c9 b% Z: f+ k+ g; t+ S
4 L+ k) a6 ?6 ]. G/ GTax 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
