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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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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. * ~' |9 T2 a6 s1 L, D3 {8 G
) g& D2 P6 Y$ F"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 9 x6 z+ Q" ?3 f6 b2 [; e9 H; X5 V" j
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City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates
) Q, D0 y9 y9 s+ L3 {"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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# s9 ^( W7 P2 c" qA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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+ z$ m; j9 E+ k- x% m- I' | O x"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. 4 b- L5 X0 n! k' X% Z
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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. 1 E, W H, c# @+ E9 C9 f* i
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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. ; u$ v4 Y" g: f5 ^7 S9 x$ h/ A J8 V
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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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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"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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( b) x" ], t: ?* S4 WScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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3 `/ @" O; d* s$ z, kHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. p f1 H; d+ k+ n
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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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1 y0 E9 j. C) \; J" a"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." ' M' D: L/ `! h/ U& m+ M: a+ _! M
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The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. . d. `9 ^! }; Z6 R: L' W/ ~
' I) ^+ S- w; H" R @$ J( CThe 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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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
