FYI > ---------- > From: Jeffery J. Smith[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Friends; > > If you have credentials that may impress politicians, we got some > politicians that need impressing. Please: > > 1) modify the below if you must, putting changes between << arrow marks > >>, > 2) sign it (or otherwise communicate your support to me), > 3) return it ASAP, after you > 4) make a copy and circulate it to other credentialed, supportive, > potential signatories, especially business types that conservatives may > respect, ASAP. Thanks. > > ************************ > > > Appropriate Committees > House and Senate > State Capitol > Salem OR 97310 > > re: HB 2473 > > Dear Legislators; > > Having spent our professional lives studying ways to improve economic > efficiency, we urge you to investigate the possible benefits from the > Environmental Tax Shift. HB 2473 would authorize and fund a study of this > tax shift, so you could see its results for yourselves. > > Already, a half dozen nations in Western Europe have begun to shift taxes > off things people do want, such as income, on to things people don't > want, such as pollution. As one could have predicted, the results are > favorable. In Holland, where COx emissions are taxed, businesses > _increased_ profits. In Pennsylvania, where Pittsburgh and 15 other > cities tax land higher than buildings, development was drawn into urban > areas, countering sprawl. Another variant is to use congestion pricing in > lieu of higher gasoline taxes to dilute rush hour. HB 2473 would allow a > careful analysis of possible tax shifts and their benefits for Oregon. > > There are many examples to examine. The knowledge gained should help you > craft tax policy that induces real economic growth rather than rewards > the inefficient and wasteful practices which are becoming harder to > afford. Please support HB 2473 which will provide us with solid answers > about this promising idea for improving Oregon's economy and quality of > life. Thank you. And please know that we stand ready to offer any > professional assistance within our capacity. > > Very truly yours, > signatories and positions (for identification only): > > 1) James Robertson, former British Cabinet official, director of > inter-bank research > 2) William Batt, former Fiscal Policy Analyst, New York State Legislature > 3) Nic Tideman, Professor of Economics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute > 4) Mason Gaffney, Professor of Economics, University of California - > Riverside > 5) Fred Thompson, Atkinson School of Business, Willamette Univ. > 6) Jim Horner, Professor of Economics, Cameron University (European MBA > Program) > 7) Fred Foldvary, Professor of Economics, John F. Kennedy University, > California > 8) Jim Mann, consultant, author of TOMORROW'S GLOBAL COMMUNITY: HOW THE > INFORMATION DELUGE IS TRANSFORMING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY; bio in WHO'S > WHO IN AMERICA > 9) Tom Gihring, consultant, co-winner of 1999 Amer. Planning Assoc. > Award, formerly at Portland State Univ. > 10) David L. Cameron, Professor of Law, Willamette University College of > Law > 11) Pete Sorenson, lawyer, former congressional legislative assistant, > former Oregon state senator, cureent Lane County Commissioner > 12) Joyce Brown, Member, Chapel Hill Town Council, Chapel Hill, North > Carolina > 13) Eben Fodor, Ph.D., Fodor & Associates Community Planning Consulting > 14) Godfrey Dunkley, former president, South African Institute of > Certified Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, president, SA Revenue > Research Group. > 15) David A. Sprintzen, Professor of Philosophy, Co-Director, Institute > for Sustainable Development, C.W. Post College, Long Island University > 16) Mark Ritchie , President , Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy > 17) Tom Sherrard, Director of Foundation for Economic Justice, a > nonprofit public service California Corporation; Member of the California > Bar. > > ****************************** > > Past supporters to whom this is knowingly being sent: > > Lester R. Brown, WorldWatch Inst President > Herman Daly, Univ. of Maryland > Robert Costanza, Univ. of Maryland > Tony Rufolo, Portland State Univ. > Evan Goldstein, Lewis & Clark Col. > Russ Beaton, Willamette Univ. > Paul Dondero, Pacific University > Michael Hudson, formerly of World Bank > C. Lowell Harriss, emeritus, Columbia Univ. > George Babilot, emeritus, San Diego State > Robert V. Andelson, Auburn University > Drew Harriss, Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. > > ***************************** > > Yours for geo-justice, > Jeffery J. Smith > President, Geonomy Society > 1611 SE Nehalem St, #2, Portland, Oregon 97202-6700, USA > 503/236-1968; Fax 503/760-4932; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; www.progress.org > > ___________________________________________________________________ > Get the Internet just the way you want it. > Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! > Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj. >
