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comment by rthomas6
rthomas6  ·  2758 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Shake it up. Offer up one somewhat unpopular opinion that you hold.

Here I go:

* Rent control causes inefficient usage of real estate and increases homelessness in big cities

* Automation will result in a larger economy and more jobs in the long run

* The corporate tax rate on profits should be 0%

* The main source of government revenue should be a tax on the unimproved land value of all privately owned land





realusername  ·  2757 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    * The main source of government revenue should be a tax on the unimproved land value of all privately owned land

Could you elaborate ? it's a new one for me.

rthomas6  ·  2757 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It's called a land value tax. It's the only tax that does not decrease economic efficiency. It's progressive. Unlike corporate taxes and other similar taxes, it doesn't get passed on to the consumer (i. e. renter). It's relatively straightforward. It's hard to evade. And it encourages efficient land use.

Generally speaking, taxes act as an incentive to decrease whatever is being taxed. Therefore we should probably tax things that we want less of: carbon emissions, use of finite resources like land, etc.