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Edmonton’s new mayor must have abnormally sharp vision — maybe 20/10 or even 20/5.

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While discussing the upcoming fall budget deliberations, Mayor Andrew Knack said he could see an end to the “pendulum” approach to city taxes.

That’s why I think Knack must have super vision, because for the life of me, I can’t see what he sees about city council getting smarter on the subject of property taxes. When councillors begin to talk about the budget next week, they will consider an administration request for a 6.4 per cent increase on top of last year’s 6.6 per cent rise.

And so far I haven’t heard anyone on council pound a desk and say, “Absolutely not!”

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Knack blames the recent run of major tax increases on the fact that five years ago, during the pandemic, council kept tax increases relatively low because so many Edmontonians were losing their jobs and closing their businesses.

Since then, our keen-eyed mayor says council has been raising taxes well above the rate of inflation to make up for the years of smaller increases.

Math isn’t on the mayor’s side. It shouldn’t take four years of exorbitant tax increases to make up for a couple years of lower taxes.

And I cringe at Knack’s belief that he can see an end to pendulum budgeting. How does he see that happening? Can........

© Edmonton Journal