LVTFan's Blog

Pulitzer Prize Winner Stresses Ethical Taxation

Pulitzer Prize Winner Stresses Ethical Taxation. Pulitzer Prize Winner Stresses Ethical Taxation September 29th, 2008 · Events · Posted by Behnaz Abolmaali

The fundamental starting point for democratic government began with taxation, said David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former New York Times investigative journalist, during a speech to McCombs accounting students Sept. 24.

Johnston, who came to UT as part of the Lyceum Speaker Series, told students that the ideas about taxation and society that have prevailed since Ronald Reagan’s time favor a system in which money is systematically funneled from the poor to benefit the rich.

“People who think that taxes are a cost will do virtually anything to eliminate that cost,” Johnson said. “Taxes are not a cost. Taxes are a moral obligation.”

The ancient Athenians, he said, developed democracy by instilling a guiding moral principle in tax laws: that the greater the wealth one has built up, the greater their moral obligation to helping society continue.

As readers of this blog know, I am a great admirer of David Cay Johnston.  I generally think he is on the right track, and/but (shifting metaphors and transportation systems) think he has some blinders on.

In the quote in the preceding paragraph, I think he is bringing up a vitally important matter, but he hasn't followed it to its logical root, and is thereby missing perhaps the most vital aspect of the subject.

San Luis Obispo County (CA): Governor tells SLO County that 'nothing is sacred' when it comes to budget cuts

Link: San Luis Obispo County’s website | 03/26/2008 | Governor tells SLO County that 'nothing is sacred' when it comes to budget cuts.

Local officials hoping to see area state parks protected from budget cuts were informed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this morning that nothing is sacred as he has proposed 10 percent across-the-board cuts to make up a growing state deficit. ...

Thousands of layoff notices have been sent to teachers across the state, including some in San Luis Obispo County, in anticipation of the state budget cuts. And seven local state parks have been proposed for closure. ...

Is LVT the answer? It depends what the question is.

The title for this post was prompted by an article in the NYT about people not raised on farms deciding to become farmers, particularly in places near large cities.  It seems that local food was said to be the answer to a number of questions.  I'm generally in favor of it, but I'm not sure it is the answer to as many questions as its supporters claim.  That doesn't make "local food" a bad thing; just not the answer to as many questions as it might seem.

But the title for this post sprang to mind.  It seems to me that Land Value Taxation is the answer to a lot of very important questions.

Philadelphia, its Wage Tax and its Residents

An article in today's Philadelphia Daily News caught my eye.  Philadelphia is home to several fine universities, some excellent medical schools and teaching hospitals, fine museums, Constitution Center and the birthplace of two of my favorite people, one in the mid 20th century, the other in the mid 19th century.  I visit its suburbs every week, and  have a sense of knowing the territory from having grown up in those suburbs.

The article, entitled Philadelphia targets one of its toughest problems, says, in part, 

Only 14 percent of city residents hold a bachelor's degree, according to the 2005 study "Graduate! Philadelphia: The Challenge to Complete," by the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia.

In Boston, that rate is 25 percent; in Seattle, it's 36 percent.

Philadelphia's college attainment rate puts it at 92nd among the 100 largest cities in the country --€” scraping the bottom.

In fact, in Philadelphia --€” unlike Boston, Chicago or Washington, D.C. --€” there are more people who have started college and dropped out than there are residents who actually hold a four-year bachelor's degree.

What could be behind those statistics?