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Land Value Tax in Connecticut
Click here for LVT Fequently Ask Questions.
To find out the latest about what is happening in New London click here
And the Day of of Southeaster Connecticut says: NL Should Seize Chance To Encourage Growth continue
This page provides updates to what is happening in Connecticut Regarding land Value Tax. This will provide updates on the 2009 Legislation, growing endorsements, and general commentaries and updates.
RNLC's CT LVT Work Group
Re-New London has created an on-going work group to initiative and sustain the land value tax option for Connecticut Cities. It is called simply the Connecticut LVT Work Group.
The CT LVT Work Group has been working to develop a coalition throughout the State to have a bill avaible for passage in early 2009. This is enabling (not mandatory) legislation which would allow cities throughout the state to, at their discretion, implement a land value tax whereby land would be proportionately tax high than building structures.
Latest
July 1, 2009
Well it appears the Governor SIGNED the LVT Pilot!!! http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00379&which_year=2009 On behalf of the LVT Work Group I want to thank all of you for your efforts. NOW, the real work begins. New London will need to move forward to request an application, but before that we will need to thoughtfully layout LVT options for New London. We need everyone's support to move this important opportunity forward. Thank you again!!
LVT Work Group “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is this: What are you doing for others?” - Martin Luther King June 2009
In Connecticut, the LVT New London Pilot is moving forward from as Public Act 09-236. From the Secretary of State's office it goes to Governor Rell's office with 15 days to sign... Check Here for details.
May 2009
The CT Senate passed the SB 379 LVT Pilot (for the City of New London) with a bi-partisan 30 favorable and 6 unfavorable vote (only 19 favorable was needed to pass)!
As of May 28 the House has put SB 379 on the calendar for a vote. Still need to have this voted on and passed before JUNE 3rd mid-night. Once that happens the bill will need to be signed by Governor Rell to allow New London the opportunity to use it.
Along the way the bill was amended. The amendment ensures preserved land is off limits for taxation; and it includes the need to have a committee set up to craft an implementation plan which is then sent to the Office of Policy Management for approval. OPM will provide the application and require the City council accept the application and establish a City ordinance to use LVT as a pilot. Here is how the bill looks at this point.
The Day editorial had THIS to say about the chances of using LVT in New London.
April 2009
In 2009 Land Value Tax has made its way to the Connecticut Capitol with a flurry of bills all providing a variation on the use of land over buildings for local property taxation. Each bill requested LVT as an option enabling municipalities to shift taxes to land. Connecticut like most States has a highly regressive property tax that depresses local economies by taxing building improvements, creating blight, empty buildings and lots, and speculation; and nowhere more oppressive than in our urban centers that have been hollowed out of local business and general economic activity.
Land Value Tax changes the dynamics offering a number of benefits. These benefits are not theoretical but have been documented flush with empirical data gathered the world over. Land is one of the cornerstones to the creation of economic justice (or injustice). LVT works to improve common wealth and thus a community’s economic well being.
The other bill (379) was Re-New London Council’s* preferred bill, allowed all cities in CT to have this option while singling out farmland and open space to be left out of the option. This bill was in the Planning and Development committee where it received wide testimonial support, but was re-written to become a pilot program tailored for one municipality: New London, CT. The latter version was unanimously voted out of committee and to the General Assembly, where it was sent back to committee: Finance Committee.
Bill 379 LVT Pilot for New London received a favorable vot in the Finance Committee and will move to the General Assembly.
Bill analysis can be found here.
Bill financial analysis can be found here.
CT Legislative Bills to Track
Senate Majority Leader Loomey's Bill SB 379
Co-Sponsor Sen. Edith G. Prague, 19th Dist. Senator Prague is represents the Greater Norwich area.
Senators Maynard's and Stillman's Bill SB 392
Both bills on 1/22/2009 Referred to Joint Committee on Planning and Development
http://www.cga.ct.gov/CGAPBTS.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00379
http://www.cga.ct.gov/CGAPBTS.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00392
th Senator Looney's and Stillman/Maynard's bil have been scheduled for Public Hearing 1/18 LOB Time TBD (see above links)
Endorsements:
From The Day editorial board:
Give Cities New Tax Tool
Cities deserve the option of using a tax system that won't penalize property owners in downtown districts for redeveloping their properties. It has worked elsewhere. more
Op-ed from Re-New London Council's Chair, Art Costa
Putting Higher Levy On Land Creates Incentive For Property Upgrades more
February 18, 2009 Connecticut General Assembly - Planning and Development Public Hearing on Land Value Tax (Bills 379 and 392) saw a great deal of support with the Connecticut Sierra Club adding their full endorsement along with a myriad of urban development, home builders and open space and farmland advocates!! Check here for submitted written testimony. Recorded testimony will follow in a couple of weeks.
As of February 2009 the following endorse CT Land Value Tax Option:
New London City Council Mayor John DeStefano of New Haven New London Day Newspaper Southeastern Connecticut Sierra Club New London City Councilor Peg Curtin Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding Rivers Alliance New London Landmarks Connecticut Farmland Trust Hartford Preservation Alliance Homebuilders Assn of Connecticut Metro Hartford Alliance Ct. Forest & Parks: Connecticut Conference of Municipalities New London Main Street Farmington River Watershed Association Connecticut Sierra Club Stamford Urban Redevelopment Commission
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March 26, 2009 Update
Dear Friends and Supporters of LVT In case you have not had a chance to follow the movement of LVT bill 379 that was in the Planning and Development Committee, it has just been unanimously voted out of committee to the General Assembly Senate. The Bill is currently drafted as a pilot and targeted for a single municipality. At this time, that municipality describes and has been mentioned in both the fiscal and bill analysis reports as the City of New London. While the original bill was the ideal bill for covering all Connecticut cities, this one does provide New London with the option to move forward and become, what we believe, a shinning example for the rest of the State's municipalities. We see value in Bill 6561 but it is has not moved from the Finance Committee and still restricts its use to municipalities of populations of 80,000 or more (which excludes most cities and certainly New London). A change in the language to allow smaller cities to use it would be very welcomed. However, we think the pilot gives us a valuable tool. There has been much discussion, and much more to follow, in New London about what such a shift in tax can provide. With the hope of the passage of Bill 379 (as it currently exists) we will have a good deal of local education and will be working closely with our city government. Bill Analysis Report: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/BA/2009SB-00379-R000240-BA.htm Thank you for all your support. Please do not hesitate to contact me on this matter. There is still much before us. Best Art Costa