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Taxing the unimproved value of land has the additional advantage that people cannot decide to create less of it in response to the tax disincentive. I really w
by ThrustVectoring 9y ago
Taxing the unimproved value of land has the additional advantage that people cannot decide to create less of it in response to the tax disincentive.
I really wish we went full Georgism back in the day.
- lr4444lr 9y agoChurches and their congregants would never go for it. I don't know how big a share we'd lose without their revenue, but it's hard to imagine it would NOT be a serious issue.
- ThrustVectoring 9y agoChurches are already exempt from paying real-estate taxes on their religious buildings. And they're exempt from paying taxes on any income they get from investment, too. It's a net wash - as long as churches have exempt investment assets of some sort that fund their religious and charitable activity (and not unrelated businesses), we're not getting tax income from them either way.
- lr4444lr 9y agoI'm not sure if you understood me or if I understand you. If churches do not have to pay capital gains or property taxes now, how do they not lose ground under a Georgist system?
- ThrustVectoring 9y agoI think I just kind of assumed that churches and other qualified charities would not be required to pay taxes on the unimproved value of land, much like they aren't required to pay property taxes or capital gains taxes today.