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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike( o0 u l r, j7 B0 `4 c3 }
/ [* ?- u2 A6 XThink 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. * ~! R, t, f2 H* R: `4 j# W9 v
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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. 8 e4 }+ e9 b/ k: k/ ]5 X. {# o# D. h8 H
% B, R- \- y* I"Looking at this we're talking an 8-10% tax increase," Mandel said in council chambers.
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4 M. {5 k6 E# a! l! vCity manager Al Maurer confirmed that Mandel's prediction was on the money, based on initial cost estimates! _9 }, s' X) B$ [
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said. ; Z7 S% @2 X9 C3 B- O" V
( k9 b# p- I/ \/ m* ], G& Q4 r7 ]" ]A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. 8 D6 p' C' a& l9 n) T2 j, P
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"There's no question costs are going up," said Coun. Michael Phair, who conceded the tax hike "may very well" be in the range predicted by Mandel. 4 u- j% g8 S' j; K1 @" p
( z, r" @( S' ?, T3 X9 g) |7 yCoun. Ron Hayter said it's still very early in the process, and he cautioned against getting overly anxious at this point.
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The draft budget does not come out until November. & W7 K, [0 [, p2 t
) x: W/ ?/ b; O4 w"I'm not looking for a major increase next year, at least not too much more than we've already approved for this year," Hayter said.
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"It won't be as bad as some people are making it out."
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Maurer said income from investments and various financial strategies could offset a large hike.
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. u; `, j# f( A" ZHowever, he said there aren't really any city programs that could be cut in order to save a few bucks. ) j7 }9 b# X# z! v+ Q. a* Q, f
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"We've certainly got more demands," Maurer said, noting council still has to find money to fund an improved snow-clearing program. " i( m: V; a/ Y0 y) s. x, S6 b$ x, u
+ X) F& k6 ?9 T- L7 C* JScott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase. + _9 T+ a9 K: z5 V3 ^& F# \0 p
* l- l! i, w: }He said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city. 3 K2 h( u! p& M+ Z
% O4 d% v: i# z* r"They're going to hear from a lot of angry taxpayers if they're looking at 10%," Hennig said.
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9 u+ {1 J2 v5 P3 {+ X"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."
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9 E1 X3 |5 V# R. l0 D/ {The average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. : E# N1 J: O; t; ~9 k" Q
+ R8 |! O( z% U' m: 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. 6 T# B, S2 y1 R% o* K4 K
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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
