Merry May Day, mid-spring (in the north), and International Women's
Day. Welcome aboard to new subscribers Hon. Floyd Morrow, former City
Councilman of San Diego, and Rob Wagner, HGS grad, of Vermont. If any
reader knows of anyone who should also be a reader, please put them in
touch. Meanwhile, enjoy discovering a main paper's good sense, a
seminar in the UK Parliament, and a lively discussion on last month's
letters.
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CONTENTS:
1. Good Press: LA Times, Rochester City Paper
2. News: Massive black money economy cripples nation
3. Numbers: Spending could be the end; China's land-price cycle
4. Movement Progress: House of Commons Seminar; Hudson and Martin
abroad; Nobel laureate gets book; CGO business
5. Letters: F. Walker; Lefmann storm; H. Newman; Down Under
newsletter; Freedom magazine
6. Correction: Mark Alan Hughes
7. Likable links: UM LVC Study; F Harrison Deadly Tax
8. What You Can Do: GLTN forum; End poverty; Review IU's DVD;
Thank the guv
9. At the Margin: Quips and Quotes
10. Publication affairs: Contributors, About the Georgist News
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CLEVELAND OHIO, August 5 to 9, 2009, Council of Georgist Organizations
Conference By Sue Walton & Ted Gwartney, sns at swwalton.com,
April 17, 2009
Keynote Speakers announced: Popular Georgist speaker, John Kelly of
Peoria has agreed to open the 2009 CGO Conference on Wednesday, August
5th with a talk on PRIVILEGE. On Saturday, August 7th, Walt Rybeck
will present "Will Obama Save Cleveland? Or Could Cleveland Save
Obama?" For more information on the conference, please check out the
conference brochure at www.cgocouncil.org
Top reasons to come to the 2009 CGO Conference:
1. To honor the memory of Tom Johnson
2. To influence public policy in Cleveland
3. To make new friends
4. To see old friends
5. To be inspired
6. To learn about what is happening
7. To participate in the number one Georgist group activity
By Dan Sullivan & Sue Walton, sns at swwalton.com, April 17, 2009
As part of the CGO's 2009 annual conference, we want to invite local
housing activists to participate. These activists can not attend
because all of their resources go toward helping others. So the CGO
Executive committee is seeking donations to allow them to attend. For
every $40 donated, one activist can be our guest for the entire day
with their meals included. Our target is 25 activists or $1000.00. Can
you help? Please send your checks in US funds only to: CGO, PO Box 57,
Evanston, IL 60204 or donation via credit card at our
website: www.cgocouncil.org
Register for the August 2009 CGO Conference in May at
www.cgocouncil.org
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1a. Good Press: Tax reform by SoCal editors
By the Los Angeles Times, Apr 15
There are other solutions: increases in sales taxes, which are perhaps
the most regressive of taxes and tend to hit low earners hardest; or
increases in property taxes, which could take away from the high
earners with one hand what a flatter income tax would deliver with the
other. Most states once relied more on sales and property taxes but
not today.
Editor's Note: A fuller version of this editorial appeared in the
Progress Report, http://www.progress.org/2009/loophole.htm
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1b. Good Press: Expert on land value tax to speak
By Tim Louis Macaluso, City Newspaper, March 31, 2009
Advocates of land value taxation say that the city's current tax
system penalizes property owners for making improvements to their
properties. Switching to land value taxation, which sets a value on
the land and does not tax improvements, would give developers and
property owners an incentive to build on vacant land or to improve
distressed properties, they say.
Joshua Vincent, the executive director of the Henry George Foundation
of America and an expert on land value tax, is the guest speaker for a
Friends of the Public Library presentation at noon on Wednesday, April
8, at the Central Library.
Not everyone sees a switch to land value taxation as a happy meal for
Rochester. "I don't see any way it could be implemented any time
soon," says City Council member Carolee Conklin. "We have to be very
careful because our tax base has stabilized and is actually growing."
Rochester is a fiscally conservative city, Conklin says, and land
value taxation would be a radical change to something most people
don't fully understand. Vincent will meet with members of City Council
on April 9.
Joshua Vincent, April 2, 2009:
Please welcome Evan Lowenstein into the public policy fold of land
value taxation. Leave a comment on his page to let him know he is
not alone! Link to a forceful new voice for LVT in Rochester NY.
www.greenvillage.us/2009/04/02/...
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2. News: Massive black money economy cripples nation
To keep up with the latest in the world of economic justice, try
visiting the daily news site, the Progress Report. Here's a recent
sample article:
If thousands can coordinate their own deaths, can people also organize
for a fundamental change to an honest economy? "1,500 Indian Farmers
Commit Mass Suicide" http://www.progress.org/2009/indiatax.htm
Sending the progress.org link to friends, family, neighbors, and
co-workers works wonderfully to help achieve a shared frame of
reference in which a discussion on how to solve economic issues can
take place.
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3. Numbers: Spending could be the end; China's land-price cycle
Want all the current indicators in one place? Periodically, The
Progress Report publishes just such an article, like these two:
Debtor nations lose their prosperity. America could be next, unless
Americans put their democracy to good use. "'Pig Book' calls out top
congressional porkers" http://www.progress.org/2009/deficits.htm
In a nation of speculators, different industries made identical
mistakes. But in a nation of savers, what's to expect? "Will China
copy Big Business or US success?"
http://www.progress.org/2009/generalm.htm
Both and more are viewable at http://www.progress.org/
Bookmark it!
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4a. Movement Progress: House of Commons Seminar on LVT
by Henry George Foundation, recently
Organized by The Coalition for Economic Justice
Hosted by Vince Cable MP
Panel of Speakers: Sir Sam Brittan, Financial Times; Fred Harrison,
Land Research Trust; Prof Iain McLean, Professor of Politics, Oxford
University; Ashley Seager, The Guardian; Molly Scott Cato, Green Party
Economics speaker; David Triggs, Henry George Foundation
Full report at
www.henrygeorgefoundation.org/cej/house-of-commons-seminar.html
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4b. Movement Progress: Hudson in the Basque Country
by Michael Hudson, April 1, 2009
I'm writing this from the Basque Country in Bilbao.
Early in the week I met with labor union leaders to outline what they
could advocate to increase their living standards, now that Spanish
banks are going bankrupt. I explained that shifting the tax off them
onto the land was the best local reform they could do.
Yesterday the LAB union and all other Basque unions called a General
Strike for May 21 -- a one-day "education day" to discuss my reforms.
I was on public TV yesterday on an interview, and gave a public
lecture about my proposed fiscal-financial reforms last night at a
well published, standing-room only lecture at Basque University
organized by LAB.
Tomorrow I brief the labor leaders who are all coming to St. Sebastian
for meetings on the topic.
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4c. Movement Progress: Martin in the Nica Lands
by Paul Martin, Director, Instituto Henry George, Managua, Nicaragua
April 2, 2009
The IHG just graduated our 40th Understanding Economics classs on
March 25th. This was the first course executed in our new, very own
building. Still no windows and the projection screen was flapping in
the wind at times, but it worked out well. 36 of the original 65
participants managed to receive a certificate of completion.
Due to the new upgraded text and increased course rigor, only eight CE
students graduated at the Superior level, but we are more sure of
their superior level qualification. All of them attended the follow-up
Superior Graduate Meeting and they decided to reinstate the meeting on
a regular weekly basis. The group also decided to make a commitment to
meet to discuss how to organize a functional political action group,
independent of the IHG project. The IHG will be providing the physical
space, technical resources, and advisement. We will be contacting all
Superior level graduates of the 700 or so whose contact info we still
have (about half) to invite them to participate in this new group's
initiative.
Meanwhile the construction of the CEIHG building inches ahead and we
are getting closer to initiating the CEIHG international culture
immersion program which will be designed to attract social-reform
minded individuals from the advanced world to come study the real
cause and solution of poverty in Nicaragua.
Thanks to Lindy Davies for his, all too brief, visit here to observe
the IHG project.
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4d. Movement Progress: Nobel Laureate Gets Geoist Book
by Alanna Hartzok, April 21, 2009
My book - The Earth Belongs to Everyone - was given to Wangarii
Maathai, the only African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Anne
Goeke, a friend of Wangarii for many years and Co-Director of Earth
Rights Institute, gave the book to her during a breakfast press club
meeting in Los Angeles. Wangarii's new book - The Challenge of Africa
- has a chapter called Land Ownership: Whose Land is It, Anyway?
Mine received the Radical Middle Book Award. To order via Paypal,
visit www.earthrights.net
BTW, Google Web Alert for "Alanna Hartzok" turned up my article in the
American Journal of Economics and Sociology. This 1997 article sure
has longevity!
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4e. Movement Progress: CGO Business
by Sue Walton, sns at swwalton.com, April 24, 2009
2009-2012 Election Results: The following people have elected to serve
as CGO officers for the term beginning after the conclusion of the
2009 conference thro' the end of the 2012 annual conference:
Treasurer: Toni Gwartney; Secretary-Pia DeSilva;
Vice President: Ted Gwartney; President: Ed Dodson
Albany, NY has been selected by the Executive Committee of the Council
of Georgist Organizations for its 2010 conference. More details will
be available later.
Georgist Registry Reports Request
Lindy Davies, editor of the Georgist Registy, would like to have
reports from all Georgist organizations, worldwide for the 2009
edition. There is no particular format. Organizations can submit as
much or as little as they want. Up to 800 words on the organization's
activities, successes and challenges for the past year. Membership and
volunteer opportunities should be noted. Reports must be in electronic
format (emailed in plain text is preferred) or clearly typewritten.
All reports need to be in to Lindy by June 1, 2009. Lindy's email
address is lindy at henrygeorge.org
All orgs should also check their listings at
http://www.cgocouncil.org/showcgo.php and report any
corrections/changes to Lindy at lindy at henrygeorge.org
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5a. Letters: Dates and sources
By Frank Walker, April 1, 2009
Last month's published: A big New York realtor opines in the NY Times
that land rent can replace taxes, subsidies, and show a profit. "The
Bigger Apple"
Can you provide the date on which this op-ed appeared in the NYT so I
can find it and read it? The name of the realtor who so opined would
also be useful.
Checking the Progress Report daily is a good habit to get into.
Editor's Reply: The above was just a tease to try to entice people to
not miss a day of the Progress Report. But you're right, more contact
info would be helpful (which was sent in a private email).
Archivist adds: The link was included in the web edition!
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5b. Letters: How much do taxes add?
In last month's GN, Ole Lefmann wrote:
When a craftsman wants to get $300 for a job he has done he will have
to make out a ...
2) Recovery of the staggering economy, which will prevent future crises.
Asst. Editor notes:
Sorry, but this makes no sense to me. I accept the principle, but how
does income tax DOUBLE everything? And LVT will not eliminate the cost
of materials, tools, machinery. And where is VAT 25%? Over-stating and
misstating diminish credibility.
Archivist adds:
+ income tax he will have to pay $300 ***
+ income tax $800 ***
In common with Caspar, items marked '***' make no sense to me.
Since when did the US govt. impose a 100% income tax rate on its
citizens? Can you explain it?
Godfrey Dunkley, Cape Town, April 9, 2009:
Greetings Jeffery. You certainly include a vast amount of information
in "The Georgist News". Here are comments on Ole Lefmann's Item.
Some years ago in Genk, Belgium a businessman told me that for his
company to give him an additional 1000 units of salary, would cost the
company 1600 and give him an additional effective spending power of
400 units.
To put this into perspective, the government is giving the employer an
incentive of 1200 units to replace the man by a machine, or by
imports.
Then what do you do with the man? What do you do with thousand?
In the same town there was a long queue of men lined up for the dole.
In the same area there were three coalmines, of which two were shut
down because labor was too expensive. They found it cheaper to import
coal from apartheid South Africa.
"How much do taxes add?" An unfair and unreasonable amount of
unemployment!
Lars Rindsig, April 01:
"Where is VAT 25%?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Denmark#Welfare_state
Ole Lefmann (lived 67 years in Denmark, then moved to London, UK,
where I have now lived for 13 years), April 1, 2009:
Since 1992, Value Added Tax has been levied at 25% in Denmark. And
it is on EVERYTHING. The Danes call it MOMS (Meromsætningsafgift).
In some countries in this world, income tax is or has been approx. 50%
or more of a marginal income.
Therefore when the craftsman mentioned in the example would make a
calculation about how much he will have to charge his customer, it is
correct to add 100% to the profit he wants + expenses he will have in
connection with the project.
The same is the case when the customer ponders on how much he has to
earn in order to be able to pay the craftman's bill.
If this is not clear, please ask again.
Editor's Note: Many readers tell us more is less and to keep it brief,
just the facts, please. Hence, since there are many geoist email
forums for discussing such topics, let me suggest using them for such
to-and-fro in the future. One could join LandCafe, LandTheory,
land-theory, etc. Thanks.
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5c. Letters: A Fair Share in America
By Harvey Newman, a 66 year old native New Yorker who has studied at
The Henry George School, April 7, 2009
I am deeply committed to the paradigm shift that is happening now as
the paradigm to which we are attached continues to crumble. I would
love to know your comments on "A Fair Share in America". This proposal
is intended to be a grassroots project which will demonstrate the
power of the individual to create meaningful change. The justifiable
anger of Americans over news of the many excesses of financial
corporations that have been given financial support by us would be
softened by this proposal -- "A Fair Share in America".
I am also making available "The Pyramid of Life-Mastery" which
describes some of my life experiences and the insights I derived from
them. Write me at hl_newman at yahoo.com
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5d. Letters: EarthSharing Australia's E-newsletter
By Karl Fitzgerald, k2 at earthsharing.org.au, April 21, 2009
EarthSharing Australia's E-newsletter of April is out. Its feature
story is "Vanuatu's Sovereignty Surrendered event + economic teasers".
Email us for a copy.
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5e. Letters: Freedoms Edge
By David Brooks, April 14, 2009
The latest Freedoms Edge is available (davidsb1 at bigpond.com).
Should you think fit please forward to your personal e-mail list.
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6. Correction: Hughes not a student
by Richard Biddle, April 27, 2009
Mark Alan Hughes, the Phila. Sustainability Director
(TGN, July 1, 2008), has not taken the courses at HGS.
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7a. Likable link: University of Minnesota Land Value Capture Study
by Steve Elkins, Bloomington MN City Council, March 31, 2009,
via LandCafe
It is still a work in progress, but with lots of good ideas now on
the table.
https://netfiles.umn.edu/xythoswfs/webui/_xy-8788769_1-t_7gNkGvHB
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7b. Likable link: Deadly tax
by Fred Harrison, April 6, 2009
"They" choose to think that our proposals for fiscal reform are just
about raising money. Fiscal sociology ought to be a deadly serious
component of economics as taught to students. Here's why:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yue0Diuous
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8a. What You Can Do: GLTN E-Forum
by Professor Stein Holden, (stein.holden at umb.no) & Dr Remy
Sietchiping, (remy.sietchiping at unhabitat.org)
April 22, 2009
Taking place from April 23rd to May 7th 2009, the Global Land Tool
Network (GLTN) is animating an e-forum on the following topic: Land,
Environment and Climate Change: Challenges, Priority Issues and Tools.
How to participate: log on to www.gltn.net/forum, register and you are
ready to go. Contributions are accepted from 23 April 2009 up to 7 May
2009. Once registered, you can take full advantage of this opportunity
to share your views, knowledge, practices and experiences on the land
and environment nexus.
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8b. What You Can Do: Join me on The End of Poverty?
by Richard Biddle, invitations at http://endpoverty.ning.com
April 26, 2009
Come join me on The End of Poverty? The documentary is being released
in September - October 2009. It was a Cannes Critics Week Selection
2008. This network is for those who wish to end poverty.
Click to Join.
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8c. What You Can Do: Review IU's DVD
By Fred Harrison, metaman at talktalk.net, April 27, 2009
Would you care to review the International Union's DVD - a 20-minute
film we made on how to make poverty history? It's based on my book,
"The Silver Bullet", published by the IU, and filmed in South
Africa/Mozambique.
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8d. What You Can Do: Thank the guv
By Al Hartheimer, ahartheimer at yahoo.com, April 29, 2009
Echo my thanks to Mass. Governor Patrick who said he will veto the
sales tax increase. It is the wrong tax at the wrong time. The state
would be a lot better off if bills I have entered on shifting the
property tax were passed.
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9. the Margin: Quips and Quotes
Ninety-nine percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
-- Larry the cable guy
How can it be easier to assent than to dissent but harder to ascend
than to descend?
-- Crazy English (1989)
"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal
opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it."
-- Edward R. Murrow
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10. Publication affairs: Contributing to this issue
Along with those acknowledged above with each blurb,
Editor: Jeffery J. Smith
Assistant Editor: Caspar Davis
Archivist: Stewart Goldwater
Owner: Robert Schalkenbach Foundation
Founder: Adam Monroe
Send your news and other interesting material to the Georgist News,
jjs at geonomics.org or gn at progress.org. The deadline for the next
issue is May 25.
The Georgist News, a project of Robert Schalkenbach Foundation, is an
email newsletter brought to you free of charge. Its purpose is to keep
you updated on the latest news, citations, events, and initiatives of
relevance to people who, like Henry George, seek a world free from
special privilege and the causes of poverty.
Do you know someone who'd enjoy reading the GN? Please forward them an
issue and ask them to subscribe, or send us their eddress. As always,
it's free. Thanks.
The Georgist News is also available on line at
http://www.Georgist.com/
==================================================================
The Georgist News, Volume Eleven, Number Eleven, May 1, 2009