Notice of Seminar on Land Value Taxation - Williams College,

[Dodson Mae]

Seminar on Land Value Property Taxation

Recent trends in higher assessments and tax bills have led elected and
appointed municipal officials in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and other
states to look for alternatives to the current property tax. One such
alternative, land value taxation is the subject of a talk given by Joshua
Vincent, President of the Philadelphia-based Center for the Study of
Economics ( www.urbantools.org ).

"Land Value Taxation: How, Why and Where It's Used" will be given on Friday,
January 26th at 10:00 AM in Room L-3, Lawrence Hall, Williams College in
Williamstown, Mass. The address is 15 Lawrence Hall Drive, with parking
nearby. We expect the talk and questions to end around 12:00 PM.
Land Value Taxation (LVT) has been credited by 2006 US Mayor of the Year,
Stephen Reed, with being an essential tool in transforming Harrisburg from a
fiscally ailing city to a fiscally sound and stable city with an increasing
commercial tax base and a revived downtown.

http://www.harrisburgpa.gov/pressRel.../world%20mayor
.htm

In a typical city that uses LVT, good uses of land are incentivized with
lowered tax bills for most homeowners and large employers because tax rates
on buildings and improvements are lowered. Absenteeism, land speculation
and vacancy are discouraged by higher tax rates on land. LVT complements
government efforts to spur investment and infill redevelopment.

For example: Instead of a tax rate of 2.95% tax rates are 10.3% on land
values and .0432% on buildings in Clairton, Pennsylvania. This measure is
revenue-neutral.


If you Have Questions:
Joshua Vincent, Director
Center for the Study of Economics
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 604
Philadelphia, Pa 19102 USA
www.urbantools.org <http://www.urbantools.org/>
215.545.6004




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