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Edmonton residential property owners will see a 3.2 per cent tax increase next year, costing an extra $77 for the typical homeowner.

City council unanimously approved the budget increase Thursday after a day and a half of deliberations.

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The increase includes funds to fight dandelions on sports fields with a new eco-herbicide, a population-based increase for police and the last increase needed to fully fund the neighbourhood renewal program.

After more than a decade of steep increases, Mayor Don Iveson said this budget is now in line with how he wants to see budgets come in for the future, especially since Edmonton’s crazy labour market has now calmed.

Neighbourhood renewal is worth 1.4 per cent of the total. Without that, the tax increase would be 1.8 per cent, or close to the 1.7 per cent predicted to keep pace with inflation in 2018.

“I see this as 1.8 for all the city’s other needs … That’s good financial management on the city’s part,” Iveson said.

He wants to continue to stick close to inflation in the next four-year budget cycle, as well.

A 3.2 per cent tax increase is equivalent to an additional $77 for the typical or median homeowner with $397,000 in property value. That homeowner would pay $2,462 in municipal taxes, or $3,013 if fees for city-run utilities and garbage collection are included.

The neighbourhood renewal initiative started 10 years ago after residents in mature neighbourhoods grew frustrated with crumbling sidewalks and roads.

Council voted to create a special levy for the rebuilding work, rather than relying on unpredictable federal and provincial grants. Several neighbourhoods each year go through the program, rebuilding some and resurfacing others to ensure they never get to that crumbling state.

After 2018, no new increases will be needed to fund that program. It will continue with an annual $155-million tax contribution.

During the debate, council spent the longest time talking about dandelions and turf maintenance.

Council voted 9-4 in favour of a $3-million increase to boost mowing cycles to once a week from May 15 through June 30. It will also use the non-traditional herbicide, iron chelate, on sports fields.