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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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& f" [! j A9 v* vThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 0 k Q: g$ k" h% Q
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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. ' B% W( _$ ^; T% a. z+ T1 H
! G7 g' K7 i3 f/ DMandel 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. 6 l5 d( b( r9 z l( I
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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4 s; t/ ]0 _, ]9 `4 ^# M0 @City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
! @# F$ d; _8 b: b) g"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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3 D) l! W9 v5 D$ O. yA 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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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 2 e% V6 Z* ~& B# L4 s) i4 M
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The draft budget does not come out until November. - y8 A; q; V# q# y3 k2 S0 j
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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. 9 \* X4 Y' V' z4 j3 d& g
. f' @9 S5 R& G5 PHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. 8 _2 _2 N' h i
4 c7 |4 _5 Z+ Z! t"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.
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& S9 `: q- J. O+ I0 Z. K/ eHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. o) B \+ g& e) j# B8 K
$ b0 u3 n. J5 K1 h0 [" {"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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4 ?! S+ X; \7 J9 ]* i$ l"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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+ }! }' O5 R1 t4 Z3 IThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ; M) D) B/ g1 o! l
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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.
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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
