Letter to the Age
DAVID BARKLEY
19 July, 2009
Dear Editor,
Graham Wines (Letters, 18/7) refers to the cost of urban sprawl. Some people hold land unused and grow rich while they sleep, as the land value increases.
The best way to curb the resulting outer metropolitan sprawl would be to have a flat rate land values tax. This would deter people from holding land unused to take advantage of rising prices over the years.
It would be a fair tax, as government expenditure is higher in denser areas.
The revenue could replace taxes impinging on productivity and other unfair taxes and charges. A good start would be payroll tax.
Yours sincerely,
David Barkley
