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The Center for the Study of Economics is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit tax educational foundation, established in 1980 as the sister organization of the Henry George Foundation of America. 

We study the impact of LVT on a community, as well as providing technical assistance in implementation and tax administration. Where appropriate, the Center will promote the adoption of LVT.  

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Center for the Study of Economics
413 South 10th Street 
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Telephone: 215-923-7800
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Assessment Exemption for Improvements

Land Value Tax (LVT) is a way of taxing land using a change in tax rates. For example, a drop of 10% in the building tax rate would require that revenue loss be made up by an increase in the tax rate on land values. The direct effect is to put a greater reliance on publicly created value (land) rather than privately created wealth (buildings, commerce or wages). A higher tax on land has the acknowledged effect of removing the distortions on markets that traditional taxes create. Assessment Exemption on Improvements (AXI) is slightly different. Put simply, a blanket permanent abatement of a certain dollar amount on a building is put into effect. The overall tax rate then rises accordingly, with a greater impact on land value. For example, if someone’s building is worth $50,000 and the AXI is $50,000 then they will pay no tax on the building. If the building is worth $500,000 then the owner would pay tax on $450,000. This has the effect of sometimes dramatically reducing tax burden on lower valued properties, most often residential properties. An alternative to basic shifting of property tax rates. We have included a Power Point presentation that shows the history of the two-rate or "graded" property tax in Pittsburgh, its rise and fall. The last half of the presentation explains the differences between that tool and AXI, with results in maps and charts for Pittsburgh.

File How AXI Could Work in Pittsburgh
 
File A Variant in Land Value Taxation: The Assessment Exemption as a Universal Abatement for Lancaster, Pennsylvania
UrbanTools' new program of implementation make tax fairness and progressivity it's hallmark. Currently, we have run simulations in five very different cities and assessment systems. The universal abatement concept has promise as way through tight times for cities while sparing homeowners with the least ability to pay. Lancaster, Pennsylvania is one example.
File A Variant in Land Value Taxation: The Assessment Exemption as a Universal Abatement for Reading, Pennsylvania
UrbanTools' new program of implementation make tax fairness and progressivity its hallmark. Currently, we have run simulations in five very different cities and assessment systems. The universal abatement concept has promise as way through tight times for cities while sparing homeowners with the least ability to pay. Reading, Pennsylvania, recently listed as 6th poorest city in the United States, as well as the 2nd most dangerous in the state of Pennsylvania (37th in the nation) performs particularly well under this scenario.
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