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GN Comments: Jeff Smith of the Geonomy Society has considerable news to report from his recent activities in Oregon. For the complete report, contact Smith directly at geonomist@juno.com
Here are some excerpts from his summary:
In conjunction with local academics and government officials, we [the Geonomy Society] held the inaugural Urban Ecology and Conservation Symposium (UECS) on January 24.
I had prepared a map of Portland showing density, color-coded. At the Census Bureau website, one can make and print their own maps, showing any data the Bureau has. Showing density at block level - with dark violet for high density and pale for low - viewers saw land used intensively right besides prime locations left fallow. Indeed, in Portland, the densest use forms a ring around brown fields, vacant lots, and abandoned warehouses. That's right where you should put your development, if you don't want it to keep sprawling out. The visual easily persuaded viewers to the cause for a Property Tax Shift (PTS). If you'd like me to do a map for your area, send me $50 and I'll make it to your specs.
About 200 people came to the day long event. Throughout the day, many people
stopped at my poster board to regard the pretty map and read the caption.
Two dozen took away our newsletter, The Geonomist, laughing at the cartoons
while walking away. Among those signing up for further information:
Michael Murphy, a popular PSU professor, and Mike Houck, the local head of
the Audubon Society, an important local lobbyist who agreed to get an
official endorsement from his group.
Presenter Nancy Olmsted, a member of the Rotary Club, agreed to invite me to
present to them, a place where one can drum up support from conservatives,
business people, and Republicans.
John Harrington, one of the UECS organizers, told me he was trying to get me
on the agenda for the next major event in May.
On the political front, our elected rep Jackie Dingfelder submitted our constitutional amendment to the Legislative Counsel, who puts these things into legalese. The chair of the Finance Committee, Lane Shetterly (R), agreed to hold a hearing. The date will be set after the bill is back from LC and has a number. We're seeking some other Republicans to support it since they hold the majority in both chambers. Dr. Greg Jacobs of PSU, one of the leaders of the local Sierra Club with whom I've been meeting, has their Salem lobbyist seeking Republican support for us.
Jackie's aide, Jim Austin, told me he's been swamped with too much paper on the PTS; to take around to other reps in the capitol, he needs only a white paper of one-page, at most just under two pages. He asked me to compose it, which I will do. If you have anything that brief designed to persuade conservatives, business people, and Republicans, please don't hesitate to send it.
NNC in Washington DC embraces a wide range of national organizations, including labor, religious social action groups, housing advocates, conservation and historic preservation organizations, and civil rights groups.
Tax reform to support smart growth goals is illustrated in the Toolkit by a case study of Harrisburg's success with its two-rate tax. Further discussion suggests steps smart growth proponents may follow to get their states and localities to adopt this reform: education, analysis, endorsement gathering, impact studies, and local and state political action. (See pages 26-27.)
Many other strategies, of course, are included in the Toolkit. Some, like paying attention to regionalism, may appeal to land taxers, others may not. The emphasis in large measure is not on systemic policy changes, but rather on process - how to organize and be effective - which should be useful to many advocacy groups.
National organizations affiliated with NNC have already scheduled smart growth workshops and training sessions for community leaders in coming months, using the Toolkit as a guide. Walt Rybeck, long-time NNC member, suggests that Georgists may find it useful to participate in such conferences. To learn if any will be held in or near one's own city, contact Leah Kalinosky. A land taxer who indicates his or her expertise in taxation as it relates specifically to aspects of smart growth - such as affordable housing, in-city revival, saving farmland or compact development - might be invited by NNC to help with the training work.
Ms. Kalinosky's E-mail: nncnnc@erols.com
Phone: 202-408-8551
The Toolkit is 134 pages in loose-leaf format and costs $20.
GN Comments: Thanks to Walt Rybeck for this announcement.
You can see it for yourself at http://www.progress.org/cgi-bin/cal/webcal.pl
Publicize your events for free.
Please send announcements of any event, large or small, that you believe
might be of interest to economic justice advocates. The calendar is
currently managed by Hanno Beck, whose email address is
banneker@progress.org
Francis Udisi has joined the Niger Delta Fund Initiative as an associate and volunteer consultant of Earth Rights Institute. Francis is a native of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria who has lived in Philadelphia for the past eight years. He has recently completed the basics course at the Henry George School of Social Science with teacher Ed Dodson.
For details, and to endorse the NDFI, go to http://www.earthrights.net/nigeria/
Director Paul Martin says, "More and more often we read/hear quotes of leaders who are now using some of our concepts and terminology in reference to the issues of common property rights vs. privatization of natural monopolies. IHG expects to teach the CE (Understanding Economics) course in 2003 to 600-800 students, as well as run a series of workshops to groups of influential leaders in various fields. We also hope to produce a CE video for national distribution this year."
For all the latest news from the Instituto Henry George, and to find out how you can support their excellent work, visit http://www.ibw.com.ni/~ihg/
"Co-Geonomizers!
"Does anyone have a visual that would help illustrate the Property Tax Shift from buildings to land? Something like a map or aerial photo of the region highlighting vacant lots, parking lots, abandoned buildings, and lots where the site value is high and the improvement value is low, to show where in-fill would occur, and, to show by how much sprawl would be contracted. There was that computer model of Boston, but this, being visual, should be even better. Do you know if anyone has such a thing or where it could be found? It'd really go over well at public events, I know of a couple coming up real soon. Many thanks."
If you have something like this, please contact Smith at geonomist@juno.com
An online encyclopedia project is welcoming additions, and we ought to be sure that their project includes articles on Henry George and his ideas.
Here's their own statement:
The URL is http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page/
GN Comments: Goldwater notes that Henry George is not yet fully represented in the Economists section. Who will take care of this? How about some other articles, on the two-rate property tax, affordable housing, environmental protection, mass transportation, and so on? All topics with important Georgist perspectives are open to our input.
"The demand for office space continues to fall, and the competition for tenants continues to rise. And, over the last two years there has been a huge increase in the financed purchase of many buildings around the country.
"So, it is a bit troubling (to me at least) that the average vacancy rate nationally hit 16% in the fourth quarter of 2002. A Wall Street Journal report (1/8/03) adds that 'rents fell and are expected to come under continued pressure.' The real threat to the economy, of course, is that the softening of cash flows following this rapid rise in real estate prices triggers a chain of defaults on bank loans. Former owners could have easily absorbed a drop in leasing revenue because of the cushion they enjoyed in debt service coverage ratios (ie., more income coming in than what was needed to carry debt and expenses). The WSJ indicates "rents dropped 7.7% in the year and are 19% off their peaks ... at the end of 2000."
"The Home Ownership Task Force (HOTF), coordinated by the Menzies Research Centre, has been instructed to report to the Prime Minister of Australia by March 2003. As the main recommendation of the report appears to be a foregone conclusion, I am making a preemptive strike."
Putland calls it "Don't Let the Big Banks Steal Your Land." And you can find it at this URL: http://www.users.bigpond.com/putland/menz.htm
Dear and curious friends, this world works in wondrous ways.
Did you know:
Check out these stories and more in the winter issue of The Geonomist at http://www.progress.org/geonomy/geonom113.htm
Tell a friend, even a list of them.
The theme of this years conference is Anarchist economics. We request workshop proposals on economics, economic related issues, and general anarchist theory. The event will be held at New College again this year, 777 Valencia St. in San Francisco, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm.
Information Website:
http://sfbay-anarchists.org/
Conference email address:
conference@sfbay-anarchists.org
Dian was a member of the Fairhope Single Tax Corporation, an effective Georgist communicator, and a dynamic individual. Survivors include her husband, Georgist Claude Arnold of Fairhope.
In lieu of flowers, donations of remembrance may be made to: The Organic School, 8 Marietta Dr., Fairhope, AL 36532, or to the Henry George Foundation of America, 1422 Chestnut Street Suite 413, Philadelphia, PA 19102.
On January 13, 2003, Robert Swann, founder (with Ralph Borsodi) of the Community Land Trust movement, and founder of the Institute for Community Economics and E.F. Schumacher Society, passed away.
For lots of memorial information and tributes to Bob Swann, visit this web
site:
http://www.schumachersociety.org/frameset_Bob_Swann.html
It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other,
to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is.
One must think like a hero to behave like a merely decent human being.
The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our
scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and
misguided men.
The Georgist News on the WWW -
http://www.georgist.com/
14. AT THE MARGIN: Quips and Quotes
How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief
sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he senses it. But without
deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other
people.
- Albert Einstein
- Hermann Hesse
- May Sarton
- Martin Luther King Jr.
15. About The Georgist News
The Georgist News is an email newsletter, sent free of charge.
Its purpose is to keep you updated on the latest news, world
events, projects, and initiatives of relevance to people who,
like Henry George, seek a world free from special privilege and
free from the causes of poverty.
Copy Editor: Scott Kroyer
Proofreader: Caspar Davis
Supported by: The Robert Schalkenbach Foundation and others
Founder: Adam Monroe
Publisher: Hanno T. Beck
The Georgist News Volume Five, Number Eight February 1, 2003