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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike. v; Z# [) i# j3 ]; {- g8 `
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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.
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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. / {- y9 g K4 f) x
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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8 @7 K; T9 E. o$ |City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates* {* p& o1 m: D; R
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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9 ~5 T6 d2 L% z5 R, W- F% D0 f"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. ; s. O3 D: M% K. P4 Z
* A% a( H& F T2 k" c7 u2 rThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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8 D% X% [! u- I' B"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. 1 {: J* u2 c6 f# x; |/ D9 u
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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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9 x1 ]0 n; A! nHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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) L' i3 M1 f' }- {& A. f1 M& ^"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. + |9 u; z% f2 a9 @
2 l% Q; j* ]* G% c/ CScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 6 E3 V" S U0 \5 [
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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. # F# ]; U) {7 _) I. x% J
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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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0 J3 W; U2 q% ^, e* G- `The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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, D( c ?" E4 {/ mThe 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. G* {1 J. _' t. R: A1 t& z
2 v7 a4 k7 y- Q5 OTax 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
