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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike4 Q, C; m# h% |( i- {# e
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Think 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.
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- j, A. N. T8 G/ V7 c"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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- \, ~: N' B3 i8 z7 o; A7 P1 d$ \! Y0 OCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates2 A8 P, p4 U5 ?/ `
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. # @" o% n8 j. Y2 w
0 N" g+ i$ e1 o; e& l. ^- TA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. , N- g, E' y" S' ~
6 |# b$ d3 j4 |; HCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point. ; d$ l) ]0 D- R, w
/ i( w Y2 k1 iThe draft budget does not come out until November. / t% k; |" `; g' I. F6 p
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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. ! e# [, `8 n( R
( W, v7 x/ j L4 M& m0 T1 a# w"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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5 k2 n7 }" G/ ^% AMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. 1 T$ v' C1 U3 ^* W" k: F! w
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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. 1 X5 ]/ Z* {& ^: a
) i3 \+ U0 B* N3 d: |"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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( _# x; |* j; s9 }/ J- F+ GScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. " x1 o5 h- h4 {* P! H8 o& Q! q' P* K
2 Z3 V3 ` n# {! X, PHe 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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! S/ o G- W* Q4 ]; I% Y" Y' N"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. - R2 M. J7 H# }& Y
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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." " b# t% a3 U/ }9 B
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. $ ]2 h; h- S0 b( ` |% X( L# v; K! D* V: h
3 k5 k" U0 E6 J8 KThe 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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/ O# Y7 q! }" `" ?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
