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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. , o7 ^+ r5 J* ]) K
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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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# b+ Y1 V' ]9 RCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
) R3 p. w+ y Z/ F, g M"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 $200 a year. / t2 | o, i4 Y) `+ L4 H
5 S8 d# U+ n u# |+ k"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ( a) l$ n0 ]2 A+ I3 w
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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. ( S3 Y' A- w4 e, a0 B" o! }
6 S( u5 ^5 Q5 k7 F, AThe draft budget does not come out until November. & m- u% t& O# ^: F1 h3 W
, ^9 [- \' [' _! a"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. 2 j" E6 _, V4 q% C) k: A
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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, ?6 C; Y2 p- O0 t, h5 ZMaurer 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.
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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. % X& t0 S% |5 V
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. $ O0 j1 m P1 U' M8 O
1 m. i7 y9 ?! c% XHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. ! {: C6 H+ V& \9 ]9 y5 R
) z% X8 S- B h0 e5 [ V6 U"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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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." , W" d) \! p2 v. }, M
6 z! B) p4 T4 m& jThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. 2 X- P9 k8 O+ z- y1 W3 `
- m, G9 }$ f) }& A: VThe 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. 0 R; i0 e! [' H1 c
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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
