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ndrosenOn Friday, July 28, 2017 after Open Mike we heard a more formal presentation from local Georgist Dan Killoren and Associate Professor Andrew Theising, the Chair of the Political Science Department at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; the topic was "Puppy Training and the East Saint Louis Riverfront." Mr. Killoren spoke first; in 1969, he was a budding socialist, and then he was introduced to real capitalism. He said that in Saint Louis, 72% of homeowners would save 30% or more (if the city switched to a land-only property tax, I presume; I didn't manage to note down his every word).
But they don't go land-only, so there are many abandoned properties, now owned by the city.
The Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers converge, and highways converge, so the area should be flourishing. Why, then, the economic crisis?
He answered his rhetorical question, that, first, we are violating fundamental economic rules. Charity is well and good, it not good enough; we are violating the rules of justice, and not just social justice, but street justice. You train a puppy by rewarding it for doing what you want, and punishing it for doing what you don't want. We aren't applying those principles in imposing taxes; instead, we punish people for building homes and factories, and reward them for creating blight.
Second, "Thou shalt not steal." Land speculators are stealing from us; the community does good things that make land valuable, and we don't charge much for this. Land speculators don't pay much for what they receive.
Third, the Old Testament says not to sell the land in perpetuity, for it is the Lord's.
Want to pay less for improving your neighborhood? Want various benefits? Then charge the land speculators to pay for infrastructure, police protection, etc.
John Kelly's book The Other Law of Moses has scriptural references on this.
And that was Mr. Killoren's part of the presentation; after that, we heard from Professor Theising.
But they don't go land-only, so there are many abandoned properties, now owned by the city.
The Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers converge, and highways converge, so the area should be flourishing. Why, then, the economic crisis?
He answered his rhetorical question, that, first, we are violating fundamental economic rules. Charity is well and good, it not good enough; we are violating the rules of justice, and not just social justice, but street justice. You train a puppy by rewarding it for doing what you want, and punishing it for doing what you don't want. We aren't applying those principles in imposing taxes; instead, we punish people for building homes and factories, and reward them for creating blight.
Second, "Thou shalt not steal." Land speculators are stealing from us; the community does good things that make land valuable, and we don't charge much for this. Land speculators don't pay much for what they receive.
Third, the Old Testament says not to sell the land in perpetuity, for it is the Lord's.
Want to pay less for improving your neighborhood? Want various benefits? Then charge the land speculators to pay for infrastructure, police protection, etc.
John Kelly's book The Other Law of Moses has scriptural references on this.
And that was Mr. Killoren's part of the presentation; after that, we heard from Professor Theising.
