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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike/ H) X$ Q* Q$ ^3 x1 q
( C; a- R8 F! B+ _7 ]Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. + y" `6 e. Q% `% M
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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. $ }) m3 N$ U6 i2 @5 }1 b
9 h: l, ?5 X& N5 ^' a: W' m0 o& p"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" H1 {/ s& Q0 N: r+ W( }8 Q
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 7 c$ u9 i0 `$ W, B5 ]$ m
$ B% r0 w" J6 x( _- SA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. / n; {0 t! [; P( @3 T
) ^: S* ~7 J T! @8 M"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel.
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Coun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. 6 b4 o' n0 G: d `% r
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The draft budget does not come out until November. - P4 T* p8 P+ j( f0 }2 r; H
& |5 [+ i7 e1 r+ Z: H( w* r4 w, P5 w"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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2 @% w, S! v" b+ m! i5 d"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 9 I. Y; O: s+ X4 X+ Q3 c2 o
# I0 c6 W8 M! t5 Z. _ P9 VMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. " x& ?2 f" u" j! p; J1 q% d# b
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However, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. ) ~& y. M4 u% {2 X$ U
( M/ o2 e# @1 z% p% D* d" Z"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. 0 Z) @" S2 N1 ?
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Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. - C' d8 i: S- R; X+ w4 S
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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. ' K2 [. c- a) k' l3 L
$ |2 D) Q9 \0 }+ Z) S; ]4 i1 ~6 x) ^"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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' x8 [+ O) M5 D. }7 \7 N( @ t"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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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. + j' Z$ |0 _+ i3 x4 I
7 D/ V% u. d- `' y! `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. 7 z( \+ x& a0 T7 l
- S) C& _) e1 Q6 v. M sTax 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
