[RP TownTalk] m-utc report from this week

[Gerard Kiernan]

Dear members of the Town Talk list,

It is sad that Mr. Hiles feels that an ad-hominem attack on me is the only
way to sell his idea.

Now, as Paul Harvey would say, here is the rest of the story.  I served on
the Town Council from 1991 to 1999.  I have been back on the Council since
2003.

Starting in the late 1980's, yes, the 1980's; Mr. Jones has tried to sell
the Land Value Tax idea to each newly elected Council.  Each Council
listened to the proposal and chose not to act on it.  To date, no other
municipality in Maryland has adopted the land value tax as its method of
taxation.

Yours truly,

Gerard F. Kiernan
Councilmember, Ward 5

 

> From: David Hiles <hilesd at mindspring.com>
> Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 22:54:59 -0400
> To: TownTalk at riverdale-park.org
> Subject: [RP TownTalk]  m-utc report from this week
> 
> begin snip
> 
> "- lot coverage:  zoning calls for 60 percent of the lot to be covered
> with occupied space.  the bank would cover a minimal amount of the
> lot.  The bank plan was for a 4,000 sf building and 5 drive through
> lanes."
> 
> end snip
> 
> Some problems have solutions.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PROBLEM: There is a lot of underused property in our area.
> 
> The bank proposal puts a minimum cost structure on the property.  It
> will be easy to clear when the the time is right to reap speculative
> gains.  The town center may be being held back for the higher rents
> that will result when EYA is built out.  Add on the Dumms Corner
> project and the Villas at Erco Place and you can see a lot of new
> customers for tenants of local space.  Why fill the space now?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SOLUTION: Tax property in Riverdale Park as if it is fully used.
> 
> A parking lot or a five story condo with underground parking would have
> the same tax valuation, if valuation was based on the highest use of
> the property.  This approach pressures speculative property holders to
> sell to people who will fully build out the property. If you don't
> build out the property, you still pay a fair share of the cost of local
> government.
> 
> This tax strategy is legal for towns and cities in Maryland.  It is
> called the Land Value Tax (LVT).  Your Riverdale Park Council could
> change to the LVT as part of the next budget cycle.  Alternatively, it
> could be phased in over a few years.  Each year's phase could follow a
> nonbinding plan laid out by this council.  Councilman Kiernan may raise
> technical reasons for it being impossible to implement or phase in. He
> is mistaken, yet loud.
> 
> You have an LVT expert living in Riverdale Park.  His name is Jack
> Jones.
> 
> 
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