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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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1 i h" m. M8 [: d" w+ Z( b# _3 ]( |Think your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 6 V( Y7 U0 x8 I7 F0 O
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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. , U2 O2 v# S% o( F# l f
8 s: h0 M' r0 H/ }& q7 z1 X"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; K5 F8 I/ m0 P5 y3 p
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. , r6 ^* x+ I9 \/ Z. |
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A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ( D% x2 E ]8 W$ d$ R/ ?( n
6 ?* F5 D' W3 S6 C4 j8 M/ C% A"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. $ O/ u U/ t2 d2 L0 b
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The draft budget does not come out until November. 0 t7 R* ^: s% ?. \; 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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; n/ u/ V+ l" o$ s"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 1 o7 x. C. z: p7 d! E U
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. # V, L: E! |, c: Y: [& n
% j( Q5 l& j% M4 T; e/ [9 KHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks.
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! ~, U Z& a' \5 p"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. " {: v8 P0 ~( c" e0 G
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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. 6 ~8 |3 e; C2 p* C7 r
; @- s3 G& l( k5 l"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." 1 V. f; _9 r( ~' G5 L$ u
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said.
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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. 6 b6 i: s: m4 Q* k0 y( f# n
" D. m! E" R" S3 N# g% A, V2 O0 H MTax 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
