The Mayor Wants Your Comments

and take the survey.  It's our position that the service areas listed (Human Services through Arts & Culture) are supported by the last item (Tax Cuts).  We think that this either/or choice does not accurately reflect all the options open to the city and its citizens.

We understand that the Mayor didn't ask for this crisis, but now that it's here, we all have to pitch in and find a way to make programs work, and also to keep increasing the revenues for the city.

Under "Tax Cuts," we think that the land value tax should be included, of course.  we already know that tax receipts for property tax are stable, even in this recession.  So, if we move to a land value tax, we can still use the property tax, but still untax homes and other buildings.  We can also use land value tax to shift the lost revenue from business taxes or wage taxes onto land values.

We  know these cuts were forced on us, but we must be clear: the last item on the list is the key to taking care of all the concerns listed at the top.

The second part of the survey lets people decide what program must be traded off to support funding for other programs. Again, we are not convinced that the scenario is either/or.

Finally, let the Mayor respectfully know that this situation  - possibly long term - can be best addressed strengthening our city, make it more attractive, and make it more stable by enacting a land value tax, and then moving to make LVT a more important part of our city's tax arsenal.  If we, as a city, do want programs cut, there is no other way out that does not hurt people and commerce in hard times.