[statecom-discuss] [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory ballotquestions?

Tom Flittie tom.flittie at gmail.com
Wed Apr 2 12:02:42 EDT 2008 

I was surprised to read that owners of vacant commercial property are exempt
from property taxes, so I contacted the Amherst tax assessor, David Burgess,
asking him for information.  Here's what he said:
*[**Burgess**, David**]  *All commercial property pays even if vacant.  A
property that is unable to be rented may have a reduced assessment if there
is a problem with the property that makes it hard to rent or due to economic
circumstances.  Commercial properties may be assessed using the income
approach and vacancy is a part of that calculation but the vacancy for a
type of property would be used not the actual vacancy.

It's still mysterious to me, and I've sent follow-up questions to David, but
he says there are reductions under certain circumstances, not exemptions.

Tom

On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 10:17 AM, Steven G. Randall <
chanrandall24 at comcast.net> wrote:

> On Tax:
>
> From my point to view in Amherst, it would be hard to dispute the
> regressive
> nature of property tax--or it's plain largeness.  There seems to be a
> question of fairness also.  Why is it that owners of commercial retail
> space
> are exempt from paining property tax when their space is not being rented
> to
> a business?  I can't stop paying property tax on my condo when I'm on
> vacation?
>
> When I lived in Philadelphia, there was a city income tax on both
> residents
> and those employed in the city.  It was not a very high tax, at the time,
> because so many were paying into it. A city/town income tax might have
> some
> small impact on suburban sprawl as well as being more progressive?  Should
> there also be a property tax, could this in theory be progressive
> also--with
> smaller properties below a certain valuation exempt?  Would this persuade
> some not to build McMansions, the house version of the SUV?  Could a
> progressive property tax be designed that provided for tax abatements for
> owners investing in solar and other green technologies?
>
> Steve Randall
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "BillCunningham" <etwee at earthlink.net>
> To: <Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com>; <platform at green-rainbow.org>;
> <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 4:59 PM
> Subject: Re: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory
> ballotquestions?
>
>
> > Yep, progressive income tax has to be taken up separately in large part
> > because of the constitutional factor.
> >
> > Local income tax isn't prohibited but I guess it would require a State
> > enabling act. To make enabling easier we would want a permanent local
> > option law in place. Ditto other local laws we favor, like police review
> > boards or rent control.
> >
> > I wouldn't want to add local income to local property tax and wind up
> with
> > both. But many cities and counties in the US already do just that.
> >
> > And for sure, we wouldn't want to impose it on localities, but rather
> make
> > it available at local option. One size doesn't fit all here.
> >
> > The property tax is a very large, regressive tax (I know some tax
> experts
> > dispute this. It believe it also encourages reckless development
> patterns
> > from a Green-Rainbow standpoint—Henry George notwithstanding.
> >
> > Thus I propose we should float the idea of a local option for replacing
> > the property tax with the income tax as the basis of local revenues. In
> > any case I doubt WE will effectively oppose the anti-income tax ballot
> > question by just saying "no."
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >>From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
> >>Sent: Mar 31, 2008 3:28 PM
> >>To: etwee at earthlink.net, platform at green-rainbow.org,
> >>statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >>Subject: Re: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory
> >>ballotquestions?
> >>
> >>Bill - an actual progressive income tax, as you know would require a
> >>consitutional amendment - is a local income tax prohibited in law
> >>somewhere?   I know
> >>that municipalities would freak out that people will move across the the
> >>next
> >>town if they implimented such a thing - but obviously it would be much
> >>fairer
> >>even for raising the same amounto f taxes... Grace
> >>In a message dated 3/31/08 3:16:43 PM, etwee at earthlink.net writes:
> >>
> >>
> >>> We should definitely look at it. I would like to see a permanent local
> >>> option to ABOLISH residential property taxes with an income tax
> >>> substitution;
> >>> separately the Statewide income tax reform should be made progressive.
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> >From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
> >>> >Sent: Mar 31, 2008 12:28 PM
> >>> >To: etwee at earthlink.net, Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com,
> >>> >platform at green-rainbow.org,
> >>> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >>> >Subject: Re: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory
> >>> ballotquestions?
> >>> >
> >>> >I actually filed legislation to increase incoem tax and give property
> >>> >tax
> >>> >relief so if we think that is the right formula there is legislation
> >>> sitting in a
> >>> >committee somewhere.
> >>> >
> >>> >as for the initiative petition, any initiative petition that has
> >>> >funding
> >>> >impacts has to be approved by the legislators after it is passed
> >>> >so,yeah,
> >>> this
> >>> >would be relevant... Thanks, Grace
> >>> >In a message dated 3/31/08 11:48:57 AM, etwee at earthlink.net writes:
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >> Grace,
> >>> >>
> >>> >> The district advisory questions are in the form of "instructions"
> for
> >>> >> the
> >>> >> state legislators concerned. Should the binding tax question pass,
> >>> >> what
> >>> could
> >>> >> the legislators do about it?
> >>> >>
> >>> >> To counteract the income tax abolitionists, we need a tax program
> of
> >>> >> our
> >>> >> own. My favorite is abolition of the residential property tax and
> its
> >>> >> REPLACEMENT by a local income tax. (We have talked about this in
> >>> Cambridge electoral
> >>> >> campaigns.)
> >>> >>
> >>> >> As the economy shakes down and particularly in housing, people will
> >>> >> bve
> >>> >> desperate for relief. The libertarians may get more traction for
> the
> >>> income tax
> >>> >> question under these conditions. We have to insist on the income
> tax
> >>> >> more
> >>> than
> >>> >> ever because of the crisis, renew the argument for making it
> >>> >> progressive
> >>> >> (the Dems abandoned that after 1994), and go after the property tax
> >>> instead. I
> >>> >> think that will make sense to a lot of people.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Linking in the property tax makes the connection with our the
> housing
> >>> >> priority, and may help us formulate a tax "instruction" or advisory
> >>> >> that
> >>> >> legislators could cope with....
> >>> >>
> >>> >> -----Original Message-----
> >>> >> >From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
> >>> >> >Sent: Mar 31, 2008 10:49 AM
> >>> >> >To: etwee at earthlink.net, Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com,
> >>> platform at green-rainbow.org,
> >>> >> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >>> >> >Subject: Re: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider
> advisory
> >>> >> ballotquestions?
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >Bill - I know Merelice was seeking a question through our new
> >>> >> >coalition
> >>> on
> >>> >> >the sub-rpime lending crisis - but I am wondering about a question
> >>> >> >to
> >>> >> address
> >>> >> >the problems underlying this binding ballot question on a complete
> >>> repeal
> >>> >> of the
> >>> >> >income tax which will be on the November ballot statewide...
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >Thanks, Grace
> >>> >> >In a message dated 3/31/08 10:16:20 AM, etwee at earthlink.netwrites:
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >> I could work on one, especially if it's about housing issues.
> >>> >> >> There
> >>> >> should
> >>> >> >> be a buck-stops-here party contact for this project?
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> I'm sure the details have already been discussed, and correct me
> >>> >> >> if
> >>> I'm
> >>> >> >> wrong:
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> 200 valid signatures will place a question in a state rep
> >>> >> >> district,
> >>> >> around
> >>> >> >> three times that for a state senate district. Sigs must be
> >>> >> >> submitted
> >>> to
> >>> >> local
> >>> >> >> election officials by the first week in July.
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> After drafting a text it's a good idea to submit it to the AG's
> >>> >> >> office
> >>> >> for
> >>> >> >> vetting. Not required but fends off legal challenges. Two I
> worked
> >>> >> >> on
> >>> in
> >>> >> 2006
> >>> >> >> were submitted in early April. Vetting and rewrite might take a
> >>> >> >> week
> >>> or
> >>> >> two.
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> The State limits advisory questions per district per election.
> No
> >>> >> >> more
> >>> >> than
> >>> >> >> three can appear and they are placed as they are submitted to
> the
> >>> >> Elections
> >>> >> >> Division, Secertary of the Commonwealth.
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> In other words, the sooner, the better.
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> -----Original Message-----
> >>> >> >> >From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
> >>> >> >> >Sent: Mar 31, 2008 9:44 AM
> >>> >> >> >To: platform at green-rainbow.org,
> >>> >> >> >statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >>> >> >> >Subject: [Platform] Can the plaform committee consider advisory
> >>> ballot
> >>> >>
> >>> >> >> questions?
> >>> >> >> >
> >>> >> >> >Hi, Jill & John Andrews & whoever else might know about this -
> It
> >>> >> >> >has
> >>> >> >> become
> >>> >> >> >apparent that some advisory questions are being formulated.
> >>> >> >> >
> >>> >> >> >as was decided at the last statecom meeting and Merelice has
> >>> >> >> >reminded
> >>> >> us,
> >>> >> >> >advisory ballot questions content was to be created and vetted
> by
> >>> >> >> >the
> >>> >> >> platform
> >>> >> >> >committee.
> >>> >> >> >
> >>> >> >> >However, no language for questions has been posted or discussed
> >>> >> >> >on
> >>> this
> >>> >> >> list
> >>> >> >> >serv.
> >>> >> >> >
> >>> >> >> >Can the possible topics please be posted so we can begin this
> >>> >> discussion?
> >>> >> >> >Thanks, Grace
> >>> >> >> >
> >>> >> >> >
> >>> >> >> >**************
> >>> >> >> >Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video
> >>> >> >> >on AOL Home.
> >>> >> >> >
> >>> >> >> >(
> http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
> >>> >> >> ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
> >>> >> >> >_______________________________________________
> >>> >> >> >Platform mailing list
> >>> >> >> >Platform at green-rainbow.org
> >>> >> >> >http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> Bill Cunningham
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >**************
> >>> >> >Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL
> >>> >> >Home.
> >>> >> > (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
> >>> >> >ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Bill Cunningham
> >>> >> _______________________________________________
> >>> >> Platform mailing list
> >>> >> Platform at green-rainbow.org
> >>> >> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >**************
> >>> >Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL
> >>> >Home.
> >>> > (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
> >>> >ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Bill Cunningham
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>**************
> >>Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL
> >>Home.
> >>      (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15&
> >>ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
> >
> >
> > Bill Cunningham
> > _______________________________________________
> > Platform mailing list
> > Platform at green-rainbow.org
> > http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
> >
>
>
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