Category Archives: Land Use

Why’s the Land Value Tax Progressive?

A few months ago I was asked what’s so progressive about the land value tax by a skeptical progressive friend, and ever since I’ve been kicking myself for responding with what now sounds to me in retrospect like kind of … More after the jump

Posted in Land Use, The Economy

The Case for a Philly Gentrification Dividend

Christopher Sawyer asks if it’s ok for neighbors to extort developers for money: Naturally, the upset neighbors on Rodman Street behind this lot appealed to Common Pleas court, where many other contentious zoning issues wind up. Earlier this month, Common Pleas … More after the jump

Posted in Land Use, The Economy

Free Public Transportation as a Poverty-Fighting Tool

Clearly poverty is a multi-faceted issue too complicated to be solved in one blog post, so I’ll focus on just this one aspect in my response to this bleg from AxisPhilly: poor people don’t have enough money. Of all the … More after the jump

Posted in Land Use, Miscellany, The Economy, Transportation

Funding SEPTA With Value Capture Would Complement Existing Philly Development Goals

Here’s an example from Kellie Patrick Gates of a situation bearing out what I was saying this morning about funding SEPTA with value capture: A new Philadelphia City Planning Commission report finds that mixed-use development centered around transit stops, replacing … More after the jump

Posted in Budget/Taxes/Spending, Land Use, Transportation

Fund SEPTA With Value Capture

We’ve known for a while that SEPTA is badly in need of more revenue, and yesterday Christine Fisher reported that they’re declaring a capital funding crisis. The agency already has a $4.7 billion backlog of state-of-good-repair projects waiting for funding, … More after the jump

Posted in Budget/Taxes/Spending, Land Use, Transportation

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back for Easton Parking

Easton’s taken some important steps toward pricing parking at market rates over the past year. Electronic meters will make paying for parking more convenient, the longer meter hours will help manage parking demand during peak times, and lower garage rates … More after the jump

Posted in Land Use, Transportation

What To Do If Your Transit Line Needs More Riders

Excellent flow chart from Cap’n Transit. It’s not that hard, folks:

Posted in Land Use, Transportation

A Concrete Example of How the Land Value Tax Can Help Philadelphia

Inga Saffron has a great column on the blighted gateway to Center City Philly between 21st and 22nd Street on Market that I read as a story about how the land value tax could help Philadelphia in a concrete way. The main villain … More after the jump

Posted in Land Use, The Economy, Transportation

Elections Have Consequences: Lower Macungie Zoning Politics Edition

Something I find frustrating is people complaining about “polarization” when they really mean “political disagreement.” You could really sub in the latter every time somebody says polarization in this article on the latest Lower Macungie Zoning Board controversy. Lots of … More after the jump

Posted in Elections, Land Use

Tolls Work

It seems intuitive that truck traffic would decline on the PA Turnpike after tolls go up, but I am not sure why some people are presenting this as a problem. Less traffic congestion is good for the economy. Sitting in traffic is … More after the jump

Posted in Land Use, The Economy, Transportation