Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Land Values As A Source Of Local Government Finance, Tom Dunne

Books/Book Chapters

Funding local government has been a permanent feature of debates about public policy in Ireland and Many feel that the balance of power between local and central government is weighted too much in

This paper suggests that the concept of economic rent, on which the justification for property taxes rests and its relevance to the property market in a modern, economically successful and urbanised Ireland, needs to be vented, discussed and debated.

The proposition is that if a greater understanding was created about the economic characteristics of landed property both value capture and local property taxes would achieve greater public …

Providence's Unending Quest For Cash, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The mayor of Providence has a big problem. How can he balance a budget that addresses the needs of an increasingly large number of people, yet deal with a declining tax base that is less able to pay for theses extra services?"

Cooperating For Economic Development, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"This small state has an advantage over larger states because its size allows it to share ideas more easily. With only 39 cities and towns, and no county governments, it is possible to have a meeting in Providence, attended by representatives of these communities within less than a one-hour drive."

Some Thoughts On Regionalization, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"New Englanders pride themselves on their self-reliance, their fortitude, their independance and, some would say, their obstinacy. Generally good qualities, but they come at a price: not cooperating with others around you. And this has been a tradition in this part of the country since its founding.

But now the 39 cities and towns are faced with severe cutbacks in funding from federal and state sources, and major questions are being raised by taxpayers who are expressing their anger by voting to reduce all types of programs, especially the biggest expense in most communities--the schools."

Land Costs Make For High-Cost Housing Starts, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Here in the Northeast, where housing prices are among the highest in the nation, it is difficult to find measures to reduce the price of housing to make it more affordable. Even with talk of an impending recession, house prices have moderated only slightly, and the real estate business finds itself in a very troubled state."

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."

Who Are Nation's Poor? Census Pores Over Stats, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"A wise old Englishman once said, 'The governments are keen on gathering statistics; they collect them, add them and raise them to the nth power, but you must never forget that in the first instance they are given by the village watchman who just puts down what he damn well pleases.'"

The Governor And The High Price Of Homes, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The recent well-publicized Cranston land sale that put the governor of Rhode Island in the spotlight, has raised questions about the ethics of a public figure being involved in a highly profitable real estate deal."

The Same Numbers Can Add Up To Various Sums, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It was Benjamin Disraeli, supposedly, who first used this truism: 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.' At a time of great interest in house prices and the growing field of demographics, it is incumbent on the reader to be aware of this when reading stories in these areas that are substantiated by numbers."

Union Traditions And Economic Policy In Ri, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When compared with the rest of the nation, Rhode Island stands out as a highly unionized state. A recent study released by the Department of Labor shows that 108,000 of the 398,000 employed in the state in 1978 were union members. Membership in associations such as the National Education Association and others adds a further 11,000 persons to the list. This total of 119,000 union and association members represents 29.9 percent of total employment on non-agricultural payrolls, ranking Rhode Island 13th in the nation and highest in New England which, as a region, averages 26.6 percent, and the same figure, …

City Need Is Jobs For Young, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The federal Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 was a landmark piece of legislation which continues to benefit communities in need. Over the past three years Providence has received close to $27 million which has been spent to improve housing, parks and historic buildings in addition to building and servicing community centers. The focus of this major legislation was on physical and social improvement of the community. The one unprovided area was economic development."