Buffalo, NY and Land Value Tax
Those that are not content to let Buffalo NY die are pushing for a serious consideration of LVT.
Buffalo: Ready to Catch the Wave?
The active community of Buffalo New York have been trying for years to get some serious attention paid to the possibility that Buffalo - hamstrung by de-industrialization and a punishing state tax structure - could use a dose of untaxing work and investment in the form of a land value tax. going from a high population of 580K in 1950, Buffalo today is 270K. Yes, that is correct, 46.5% of the population has left, and not just for the suburbs, but out of state.
That means a few people and a few buildings paying the lion's share of tax revenue, which is a totally unsustainable position. Yet, Buffalo has many many charms, including public amenities built during the industrial era, a Frederick Olmstead Park system and a lovely lake front.
The problem is how to pay for all these amenities and how to maintain the basic infrastructure while creating an economic environment for sustainable and "local first" business growth. We are heartened to hear from the Denim-Crats blog from Marliyn Rogers asking for info and support for land value tax. UT is happy to jump in to a city and a populace that deserves respect and another chance to remake itself.
