Taxation Commons^™

Model State Land Use Legislation For New England, New England Environmental Finance Center, Muskie School Of Public Service

Legislation

Sprawl is neither the ordained nor the inevitable outcome upon the New England landscape. A coordinated response to sprawl by the public and private sectors is possible, and could dramatically improve land use patterns and reduce the cost of local government. For the New England states, such a response would include, among other elements, legislation to eliminate existing gaps in the land use laws of each state – gaps that presently encourage or sanction sprawling development. It would also include incentives for municipalities to think beyond their borders and to act with greater efficiency and effect. It is the purpose …

Guiding Growth: A Survey Of Tax Incentives, New England Environmental Finance Center, Muskie School Of Public Service

Legislation

Current development patterns and increased tax pressures in local municipalities combine to harm both Maine’s natural resources and its quality of life. Previous initiatives such as the implementation of zoning laws did not fully result in the desired outcomes. Zoning laws were often too flexible and often did not resist market and political pressures to change zoning regulations to allow development with possible economic growth. A sound taxation system or fee structure may be the solution to slow down development in natural areas and direct it towards areas appropriate for growth.

To protect Maine’s natural resources more successfully from future …

How Goes The American Dream?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Americans are a hard-working lot. The ambitious American worker has fewer holidays, less vacation time and other benefits than Western Europeans. They are well-rewarded for their pursuit of the American dream. Home ownership rates in this country are among the highest rates in the world. The typical American worker has more cars and more kitchen gadgets, electronic hardware, recreational gear and more computers in his home than any other worker in the world."

Pelham Organizational Structure Evaluation Of Property Assessment And Tax, Umass Amherst Center Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The goal of this report was to evaluate the governmental structure of the Town of Pelham, Massachusetts. The scope of the project focused on the organizational structure of Pelham’s assessing and collecting offices. A series of strategies were researched and offered as part of the report as a potential alternative to the present system.

New Development Is In For A Difficult Decade, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"There is little question that during 1990s, proposed new development--whether residential, commercial or office--is going to be in for some rough going. Community aversion to development and what is perceived to be the resulting overcrowding, traffic and extra budget for schools, roads, water and sewage lines and other items pose major obstacles that developers are not encountering. It will likely worsen in the years ahead."

Evaluation Of Vertical Equity In Residential Property Assessments In The Lake Oswego And West Linn Areas, James G. Strathman, Dirce Toulan

Center for Urban Studies Publications and Reports

This report presents a statistical evaluation of vertical equity in the pattern of residential property assessments in the Lake Oswego, West Linn and nearby unincorporated areas based on an application of the Paglin-Fogarty method to a sample of recent sales. A vertically regressive pattern of inequity in assessments, which is characterized by systemmatic under-assessment of higher-valued properties and overassessment of lower-valued properties, was found. Based on the entire sample, it was estimated that a typical $75,000 property was overassessed by about $4,700, and a typical $175,000 property was underassessed by $8,800.

User Needs Assessment And Technical Issues For A Multipurpose Cadastre For Multnomah County, Oregon, Kenneth Dueker, Larry Conrad, Daniel Kjerne

Center for Urban Studies Publications and Reports

The objectives of this study are: 1) to provide the County Assessor with a survey of the current usage of the assessor's mapping system ; 2) to assess the future data needs of the users based upon implementation of the assessor's plans for a computerized cadastral mapping system, or multipurpose cadastre (MPC}; 3) to identify the locational accuracy requirements of the proposed mapping system; and 4) to identify a strategy to facilitate gradual improvement in accuracy of locational data.

Issues In Design Of A Multipurpose Cadastre, Kenneth Dueker, Daniel Kjerne, Lawrence M. Conrad

Center for Urban Studies Publications and Reports

This paper summarizes a discussion of some of the technical issues which appeared in a report prepared during January-July 1985, by a team of researchers from Port.land State University's Center for Urban Studies under a contract for the Department of Assessment and Taxation of Multnomah County, Oregon. The complete report also covered user needs as identified through a series of interviews of agencies making use of assessor maps.

At some time in the next two or three years, Multnomah County will be eligible for assistance from the Oregon State Department of Revenue (DOR) in reconstructing its cadastral mapping system. Both …

A 2% Room Tax Would Help Providence Sell Itself, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"They've done it again! There it was as a feature story on page A14 of the April 7 issue, with pictures of the Arcade, Benefit Street and the mayor of the city included. The New York Times once more has singled out Providence, Rhode Island as a city on the move, one which is reclaiming its historical heritage and one which has a "resurgent city center.""

Energy Conservation For Cities And States, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"During this winter season the 68 percent increase in the price of fuel oil has made us painfully aware of our dependance on foreign oil."

Loss-Leaders For The Inner Cities, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The Wall Street Journal has called it 'the latest war between the states.' It is a tool long used by Southern cities and states that only now is being utilized in the Northeast and Midwest. And it has been used by the city of Providence at the Biltmore Plaza.

Jacksonville's Commitment To Downtown, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The largest city in the Sunshine State is quite different from the cities we know in the Northeast, especially in its downtown."

What To Do With Lasalle Square, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The recent proposals to the Providence Redevelopment Authority for the development of the once-acre parcel of land at LaSalle Square have raised some interesting questions about the use of this valuable piece of downtown property."