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In 1998, a 2.8 per cent tax increase proved to be too much for Coun. Don Atchison.

He voted against the City of Saskatoon budget, citing wild spending.

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“I don’t think we’ve done a good job here,” Atchison said at the time. “Expenditures are out of control. People have a right to be upset with a tax increase.”

Five years later, Atchison was elected mayor with a clearly stated goal of a zero per cent tax increase. That goal evaporated in his first year in office.

In the 12 years since he became mayor, only once has the tax hike dipped below two per cent, and only twice has it slipped below three per cent. Tax increases have averaged 4.36 per cent during Atchison’s time as mayor.

That’s higher than Regina’s tax increases during the same 12 years, which have averaged 3.07 per cent. Regina has managed a zero per cent tax increase three times in the same dozen years: 2004, 2006 and 2009.

While Atchison rightly points out that his vote is only one of 11 on council, he has also voted in favour of every budget — and every tax hike — since he became mayor.