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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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" E0 {( P0 z) x/ d1 b9 k. zThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 8 o1 F" y, d9 ^6 L/ Z0 b3 I
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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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# U" r8 O3 T1 ]) U; A: zMandel 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. 4 g3 T0 G1 z L
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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. {5 q4 P8 |9 q
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates9 Y: V/ l# v/ M- v
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. 8 u5 F6 ~0 c8 Q
K7 u; S2 a0 v* pA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. ( n" j3 O3 ?; O, u7 E" ^, c- C2 K) |
$ Z% T' E$ t7 x( ?2 b. a1 ^: ^"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. " q6 D3 V! N9 K- Z: s. V# a$ S6 ^
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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.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. ; O, e/ F L. t3 E) K+ q
5 A. n' S5 C7 U3 u% g6 t# _"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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% v: I! ?; X# ?( v& y- }. N"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." 3 `( M5 a* A! ~! O
3 L- v& G& J% \, GMaurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike. ( `2 @" b$ X+ H- p3 U* R
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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. ( _) @/ k( l( H0 v
: b; `1 y ~0 m/ I, i2 Z" E% I"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. " y5 G" Y0 E2 s4 C8 `( h' r
* a8 ?4 z/ F* v2 eScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. , L. b- n0 j& k1 x7 Y% C
9 s+ m* y; ?7 b8 u2 O8 pHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. ) c' {% J7 U! d( G6 g/ A! {
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"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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$ v' M9 T, p1 N8 \0 V! Y) p"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." 6 s' E7 X7 z- E
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. " P1 S/ i$ \4 N/ K: N3 k
0 a. S% M' y8 I) ^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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) M$ q4 G1 O; i( D2 r% RTax 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
