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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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' J% l# b0 h2 }+ D J* c: MThink 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. , R. Y3 e- X& z( Y- F% P) }
$ z7 G8 n6 e! V# T"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. * d. R0 n: U% F; q' j
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates- @7 z% G5 x: Y
"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 $200 a year. ) ^' m. ^& T3 Z8 {+ a5 U3 p/ G
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. " C: Y% Z j7 T- `# } g' G& ^* y
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ' N ^3 I6 G& }' u* m
4 \8 r' e8 Q; k9 J6 WThe draft budget does not come out until November.
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# O h7 Q4 }4 }9 R1 C"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." % ^9 t$ C5 E: w2 [. D" U$ {* v% q
7 }% ?. N7 t% I: DMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ! [% t. e% K2 d' Y6 `0 y X" V0 P
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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. 9 o, S+ @0 [; c; d6 R* {
1 U$ ?) \/ L- W"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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$ r5 x" I% H" i# _Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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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. 3 _" u+ y- e0 e" H0 p
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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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4 B" g5 W0 b( S1 p6 c& y"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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8 x8 Y( T" M/ w! @The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ' _- f) d K9 r
3 e- l j1 t* b. F* ]1 G! zThe 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. 7 S, F" `0 G8 t0 B; Z
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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
