[GPSCC-chat] Fwd: tax vacant property and Occupy San Jose?

[Spencer Graves]

Hello, All:


       Below please find an email I sent to Pierluigi Olivario, my City 
Councilperson.  Feel free to use it in any way you like.


       Best Wishes,
       Spencer


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	tax vacant property and Occupy San Jose?
Date: 	Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:01:12 -0700
From: 	Spencer Graves <spencer.graves at prodsyse.com>
To: 	pierluigi.oliverio at sanjoseca.gov



Hello:


       What do you think of the proposal to tax vacant property?[1]  I
agree with Dean Baker, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy
Research in Washington, DC, that this would reduce the incentive of
people who own vacant property to demand more than the property is
currently worth in the hopes that the economy will soon improve and they
will get more for their property because they waited.  Everybody wins, I
think:  The city gets badly needed tax revenue.  Owners of vacant
property are pushed to make a more realistic assessment of the value of
what they own.  And people looking to either lease or buy real estate
have options more in line with the realities of the current market.  I'm
sure that owners of vacant property won't see it this way, and I suspect
people who own the most vacant property also make substantial campaign
contributions.  This could make it more difficult for the city council
to do what's best for the public as it conflicts with the perceived
interests of major political campaign contributors.  I hope you will
support the public.


       Similarly, what is your position on Occupy San Jose?  I hope you
will support the First Amendment right of peaceful assembly, and the
city council did a few years ago when Vietnamese camped at City Hall.
The increased consolidation of ownership of the media have largely
supported a movement to increase welfare / entitlements for the wealthy
while reducing support for the bottom 99%.  I believe the current
international Occupy movement, combined with the Arab Spring, shows the
greatest promise of actually fixing the most serious problems facing
this nation and the world.  I sincerely hope you will protect and defend
the constitution.


       Sincerely,
       Spencer Graves


[1] "Taxing Nothing:  Make Owners of Vacant Property Pay", Dean Baker,
Co-Director, Center for Economic and Policy Research,
"www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-columns/taxing-nothing-make-owners-of-vacant-property-pay".


-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Technology Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567
web:  www.structuremonitoring.com


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