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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike0 P- @' h2 q# D: m) v; o5 ?
: b1 i; s; @8 p) x& bThink 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. ( G. D: q+ Z* r8 G+ X$ {3 G0 W
3 Z4 U0 q+ r- @" ~! d1 _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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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
. s# O# u: ^" \' H8 A" |% C2 w+ x"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 8 d, e+ l( y8 y9 L# a4 l
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ! Y# T* q0 d4 O0 i
) V! b& h1 r0 c7 \# L0 B. d"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. ( B+ s. b# q& r
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. : ]( D/ [4 m# R3 h( }2 G
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The draft budget does not come out until November.
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"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 5 |1 K* D: B9 M: {% T2 B
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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0 J- w+ d9 q* }' V"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program.
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6 n S8 T8 _* @9 u$ ]+ r: ]Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. ; @- R' B8 k$ M
% F9 O' l( E$ q$ ^% p8 fHe 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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. E9 R$ `+ N# y7 k$ L$ @ f$ j" b% _; S. n"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." 7 c) I; ~& u- ?% [0 w1 R
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. / v& a+ o$ x0 c
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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. 1 E- e* N7 ]+ Y6 }7 \1 S( {
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Tax bills will be mailed May 25 and payments are due June 30. |
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