Green Tax Shift for Washington, D.C.

Coalition Calls for Tax Shift to Help Environment, Increase Justice in Washington D.C.

by Hanno Beck

Organizations in the coalition are: the Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities, the Center for the Study of Economics, the Center for Public Dialogue, the Pennsylvania Fair Tax Coalition, and the Banneker Center for Economic Justice.

The group's priorities are:

• land value taxation -- a shift in property taxes away from buildings and other improvements, and toward site values instead;
• other environmentally sound shifts, possibly including a tax on parking, charges for water consumption, etc., accompanied by tax rebates or tax cuts on iniquitous taxes such as income and sales taxes.

On September 23rd the coalition held a strategy roundtable attended by dozens of representatives from organizations all over the region. Speaking on the "split-rate" property tax and other ecological tax reforms were: Josh Vincent of the Center for the Study of Economics; Rick Rybeck, real estate tax consultant; Andrew Hoerner, Center for a Sustainable Economy; Deborah Katz, Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities, and moderating the meeting was Alanna Hartzok, Pennsylvania Fair Tax Coalition.

The group will proceed to develop and promote a tax shifting plan for Washington. To join the coalition, or to find out more, contact us.

For more information on environmental tax shifting, visit the Green Tax Shift Headquarters