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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. ?: C- C9 C; X( ~$ r3 U3 G: g( H
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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. 7 s, R- w6 ~- ~5 W* r" g; E2 X
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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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"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers. 4 _, W, h0 D) ^4 q8 a
( O+ n2 g4 v/ [7 y6 \2 \City manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates" C) q2 f* a3 T; D6 q
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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3 U$ j. f2 ]' i/ S, W* j9 A. @2 FA hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year.
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* U- S; Z/ \$ U, C/ X, v, N"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. 3 i* i. }4 i" C# h* W3 \8 K
6 |" V7 W8 l0 Q( L6 UThe 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.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out." % N# k( r0 S1 y! A3 b
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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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! H6 d2 s! y9 x"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. ) Z6 I- K# x: T, M& G5 T% k; P9 n; _
' H( Z0 V, Z: t7 b& k3 _Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. 0 H, I4 {# e0 C7 Y& ~, D
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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. $ n* _* \6 O( ^ T# t* f
8 b& Z \4 t) h5 S6 l: M# J% T"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said. ) u( V) e3 G& p6 G
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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." ! Q+ F. V' s+ B) ^9 a
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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.
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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
