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Sep 26, 2022Liked by Stephen Hoskins

May I translate this text to brazilian portuguese and publish it on blogs and reddit?

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To the worry about this reform being over sold, there is some real world evidence. The Australian Capital Territory (the state where Canberra is located) has been increasing land value tax and reducing stamp duty, the most economically harmful tax. They started in 2012, and will complete the transition in 2032.

The results have been positive. So there is evidence for this working in real life

https://www.prosper.org.au/campaigns/stamp-duty-to-land-tax/a-c-t-land-tax-transition/

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Here is a better story:

My interest and concern with Georgism continues. The analogy to this cat was from a cartoon in a 1930 ish newspaper, where a leafless tree is shown and after studying it one can make out a cat within its branches. Once you have seen it, every later occasion you see the picture you immediately see the cat. This is how my fellow Georgists see their ideal, after you have it its fixed in your mind.

Now you might like this poem which is an alternative to basic Georgist policy but which does the same thing.

A MORE STEALTHY GEORGIST CAT

The Georgist cat is small and lean

And often doesn’t get to be seen.

It hides in the branches of an economic’s-tree

So it takes a long while for you or for me,

To appreciate its cute and original form

That the landlords are so ready to scorn.

The economic’s-tree has many fine branches

(On which we contend, there are no free-lunches).

Whilst the land-owning rich in the city all claim

As bloated capitalists, that they’re not to blame

For the gap that lays ‘twixt the poor and the wealthy,

But oppose any tax to make our nation healthy.

Have you heard the tale of a committee, that

Thought to bell and get warning of a fat cat?

But could not find a soul to apply this device,

Because typically all were a council of mice!

Our Georgist cat has a bell ready-fitted,

(Which makes this analogy more to be pitted).

This warning sound makes our ideals unwanted,

For a new tax is how politicians get doubted.

So the Georgist cat fails to catch any mice

That pose as landlords, along with their vice.

But how shall we silence the bell’s warning sound

And quieten the news that our pussy’s around?

Our Georgist feline is in serious error,

‘Cause its bell draws attention not only to whether

Valuable sites can be ethically shared,

But also the rent from a site is declared

As the means to replace other kinds of taxation,

Which obviously causes the landlords vexation.

In the economic’s tree many other beasts lurk

But are missed, after learning of Henry G’s quirk

Through the cat-finder’s recently brilliant discovery.

This writer seeks a new means for recovery

From our politi-unacceptable claim,

And stealthily project LVT once again.

If we would but examine some more of the tree

Alternatives are waiting there for us to see.

Among them is hiding a far better way

For an equivalent LVT effect, to stay

In essence, without causing such evil offences

To the landlords and their partitioning fences.

When a property-owner decides to sell--quick

The gov’ment buys its land, and not the public!

Its occupant then leases it for a similar fee

To the One-Tax of Henry George’s decree.

Any buildings on-site should be sold as previously

But without the land, on which the price grievously

Had risen, with huge speculation in its advance

That stopped entrepreneurs from having a chance.

The cost of this land must be raised through new bonds

Which the government sells and the public responds,

‘Though their interest-rate’s a bit lower than rent,

Their returns are more stable than the average tenant!

This process will take many years to complete--

So its financial support is no great money feat.

After the lease-fees begin to collect,

Gov’ments can tax less, and firmly expect

To pursue this policy without change, until

All the lease-fees are site-rents in the Gov’ment’s till.

With the land properly shared, the government sees

That site development stays with the current leasees.

Other taxes that cause so much trouble and hate

Are scrapped, with great pleasure to all in the state,

Except for some bankers and the tax collectors

Whose actions no longer apply in these sectors.

Land-rights will be shared through this simple device,

By a fast-growing country that takes our advice.

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We're building something that doesn't need to wait for governments to bend over: https://rentless.co/

It'll be slower than an edict from the government, but by building this we can build the coalition that gets the edict passed.

Our aim is to replace private sector renting using housing co-operatives, and eventually make housing affordable everywhere forever -- even if governments never act. The way it works is by using a charity to buy land with secured & unsecured debt, then leasing it to a housing co-op that the residents control, in return for a ground rent large enough to cover the debt instalments.

The residents get much control and security than they would with a landlord -- they find the property, maintain and improve it, and have the flexibility of renters. We've discovered that tenants *really want* this control, even if it's extra work.

And because it's owned by the charity, we can charge rent at the mortgage instalments or 3% of the value of the land annually, and return the proceeds to the local community. We're planning to experiment with the most effective way to do this, but, basically, we want to prove the Henry George Theorem.

But we need some money to get the flywheel turning. The more we rely on traditional VCs, the less charitable we can be -- so we would rather rely on funds from mission-aligned sources.

We've got the legal documents, have tenants interested in renting with us, and have connections with co-op groups and banks to go to market. We just need enough to quit our jobs and hire a developer!

If you're reading this and don't have funds, but do know people who might be interested in either living with us, or working with us to make this happen, please put us in touch with them.

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