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Mayor warns of 'scary' tax hike
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( T; j7 l0 c" F0 W! K# j) wThink your property taxes are high now? You ain't seen nothing yet. 5 a% k) ?0 g1 w0 c0 w m# }2 {
k; x4 c: M9 n$ j) [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. $ V3 Q( m; Q- T1 ~
3 `" F. o0 l IMandel 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 O$ P2 ]$ n0 B$ {: |9 b# f, Z* o
' m! A& X4 v Y8 v' B"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& A/ u2 a& U. M: s7 p& |$ A
"Given the amount of it, it's going to be scary," the mayor said.
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) N+ E+ c% ^$ w1 ^A hike in that range could cost the average homeowner up to $200 a year. . m& |$ r* T; |; C# \4 Q
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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.
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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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2 f" A5 e: I6 \$ wThe draft budget does not come out until November. - H8 p- s: w4 z
2 q$ a$ ~0 p9 G"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. # L1 L ]6 G5 {) X
8 u4 T" c3 J; r7 [, ]; j7 ]5 P# A"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. ; E4 F: k/ Y5 ~
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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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! ?+ k7 j" Q/ @3 y v, @Scott Hennig, with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said there's no excuse for a double-digit tax increase.
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. `- s( A& D$ c! `4 e9 o) wHe said hikes should be limited to inflation, which is pegged at 5% both this year and next, according to the city.
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0 g4 }0 V- f- W"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." ! X L& Y6 N U5 i0 f4 b
9 `# T8 h/ y" O' a. P. m5 rThe average property tax bill in Edmonton will go up 4.95% this year, the city has said. ( c: L# Y! G- w0 \$ J2 }9 r2 M+ k
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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. 2 B3 [; S- o0 p) ~
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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
