Comments for Stewart Nelson http://www.svnelson.com Your Voice, Your Ann Arbor Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:16:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 Comment on “700 Billion Bailout, Last Gasp of Urban Sprawl” Christopher B. Leinberger by Joshua Vincent http://www.svnelson.com/2008/10/15/%e2%80%9c700-billion-bailout-last-gasp-of-urban-sprawl%e2%80%9d-christopher-b-leinberger/#comment-148 Joshua Vincent Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:55:00 +0000 http://www.svnelson.com/2008/10/15/%e2%80%9c700-billion-bailout-last-gasp-of-urban-sprawl%e2%80%9d-christopher-b-leinberger/#comment-148 Quite agree that Walkable Urbanism can only be limited by the extra cost involved in development and maintenance of infrastructure and development and upkeep of the building son top of the infrastructure. How to finance Walkable Urbanism? The answer is in the post itself: higher land values. Higher land values should not serve as a reward for speculation, but rather is the instrument to underwrite the urban fabric. Conversely, reducing the taxation of buildings or other forms of capital and labor will make the urbanized areas more competitive than the surrounding suburban jurisdictions. This process is made possible by a fairly simply tool called land value taxation. As used in my experience, land value taxation has helped cities such as Harrisburg, Allentown and others turn around their finances, and attract people back to the urban cores. Land value tax erases the tax advantage of living in the Drivable Suburbs, while providing a reliable source of revenue for the urban areas. Since land values are created by the community, not companies or individuals, it's a self-funding loop back to the community coffers through taxation. Quite agree that Walkable Urbanism can only be limited by the extra cost involved in development and maintenance of infrastructure and development and upkeep of the building son top of the infrastructure.

How to finance Walkable Urbanism? The answer is in the post itself: higher land values.

Higher land values should not serve as a reward for speculation, but rather is the instrument to underwrite the urban fabric. Conversely, reducing the taxation of buildings or other forms of capital and labor will make the urbanized areas more competitive than the surrounding suburban jurisdictions.

This process is made possible by a fairly simply tool called land value taxation. As used in my experience, land value taxation has helped cities such as Harrisburg, Allentown and others turn around their finances, and attract people back to the urban cores.

Land value tax erases the tax advantage of living in the Drivable Suburbs, while providing a reliable source of revenue for the urban areas. Since land values are created by the community, not companies or individuals, it’s a self-funding loop back to the community coffers through taxation.

]]> Comment on Why I Am Running! by Andy Piper http://www.svnelson.com/2008/03/18/hello-world/#comment-139 Andy Piper Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:34:53 +0000 http://www.svnelson.com/2008/03/18/hello-world/#comment-139 "How can I watch a number of restaurants in our community struggle or close while an inexpensive liquor license is selfishly awarded to our municipal golf course?" This was a waste of an opportunity and really unfair to our business community. Thanks for pointing this out in your blog. “How can I watch a number of restaurants in our community struggle or close while an inexpensive liquor license is selfishly awarded to our municipal golf course?”

This was a waste of an opportunity and really unfair to our business community. Thanks for pointing this out in your blog.

]]> Comment on The Day After. by Laura Whitman http://www.svnelson.com/2008/08/06/the-day-after/#comment-29 Laura Whitman Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:55:06 +0000 http://www.svnelson.com/2008/08/06/the-day-after/#comment-29 Thank you for all your efforts, Stew. We were behind you all the way and are disappointed you didn't win. I'm happy to see that you've taken this as a learning experience and will continue to stay involved in the public process; your underlying goal for your involvement -- to make Ann Arbor a better place -- is the best reason to continue. You've helped Ann Arbor's citizens to become more aware of the goings-on in their community and that is a huge accomplishment in itself. All the best, Laura Thank you for all your efforts, Stew. We were behind you all the way and are disappointed you didn’t win. I’m happy to see that you’ve taken this as a learning experience and will continue to stay involved in the public process; your underlying goal for your involvement — to make Ann Arbor a better place — is the best reason to continue. You’ve helped Ann Arbor’s citizens to become more aware of the goings-on in their community and that is a huge accomplishment in itself.

All the best,
Laura

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