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Until we enable high-speed transit to receive fuel fees we're stuck in the sand box. The time is right for the Legislature to refer a constititutional amendment to the voters to reconsider our obsolete restriction on this.

Also, for local high-speed infrastructure, we need to look at new technology like personal rapid transit. It's a fraction of the cost per mile than light rail or heavy rail and can offer speeds over 100 mph. It could be designed to use a tiny (miniscule!) right of way and be completed in a mile of track a day! Check out PRT on the Web. Sweden, Britain, Korea and others are already planning for PRT. It carries as many as a two or three lane freeway per hour and uses a fraction of the electricity as light rail if it's a mag-lev technology.

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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Imagine a tax system that shrinks government, sends building permits soaring as infill development, creates local jobs long-term, expands the tax base, increases owner-occupancy, and encourages local investment? It's been shown successfull in some 20 Penn. communities, Australia, Hong Kong, even Johannesburg!

It's incentive taxation that is proposed as a joint resolution in the Legislature. Care to know more?

It would lower taxes on improvements, similar to making whole communities into Enterprise Zones, by enabling them to adopt a split-rate property tax. This could be structured to lower tax burdens initially, so that it would eventually allow the tax base to build value that is captured in a higher site tax that doesn't wage a deadweight loss on the economy. Simple!

Kris Nelson

Geonomics Consulting 503.234.2318

posted 4 years, 2 months ago
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