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The Georgist Registry Global Report: USA
COUNCIL OF GEORGIST ORGANIZATIONS
Dr. Drew Harris, President
844 Catalpa Ave., Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: 201-928-1399 Fax: 201-928-1650
CGO is presently planning the 1996 conference to be held in Ontario, Canada, October 11-14, 1996. All Georgists are invited and urged to attend.
The CGO Annual Conference, held in Evanston Ill. in June 1995, featured reports on activities of member organizations as well as challenging concepts for the future.
Addresses included:
- A theme statement by Evanston Mayor Lorraine Morton that "freedom for the individual must balance with social responsibility. "
- "The Ethics of Geo-Economics" Dr. Nicholaus Tideman, Professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
- "The Democratic Imperative (equity)," a panel discussion moderated by Edward Dodson, President of the Henry George School of Social Science, New York.
- "From Thomas Paine to Henry George" Dr. Jack Schwartzman, editor, Fragments
- "Progress on Research Projects Since 1993" reports by Drs. Michael Hudson, and Nicholas Tideman; moderated by Dr. Lowell Harriss
- "Implementing a Land Tax in Novgorad, Russia" Ron Banks, President of the Land Policy Council, England
- "Educational Programs and Plans of the HGSSS" George Collins, Executive Director, and Lindy Davis, Assistant Director, HGS,NY, Dr. Michael Hudson, and Sam Venturella, Director, HGS,Chicago
- "Educational EffectivenessUsing Measurement as a Structure for Change" Matt Harris, Training Specialist
- "The Interstudent Program" a demonstration of this novel high school program by Harry Pollard, Dir., HGS, LA
- "How to Get a Two-Rate Tax in Your City"Dr. Steven Cord, Director, Center for the Study of Economics
- A tour of the ECTV studio and taping of two panel shows (Affordable Housing; Free-Trade) for cable access TV, conducted by Scott and Sue Walton of the HGS, Chicago.
- "The Revolution Within"Ron Banks on significant changes in the organization, methods and projects of the English Georgist Movement
- "Georgists View Chicago," a bus tour with commentary by Scott Walton, and Chuck Metalitz of the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, both members of the HGSSS, Chicago Board of Directors.
- "Closing the New Frontier" a presentation by Lindy Davis on the potential of the Internet for George.
- Videotapes of presentations are available from: Sue Walton, Better Cities Committee of Illinois
1111 Church St., #405, Evanston, Il 60201
Phone: 847-781-2077; fax: 847-475-3776.
COMMON GROUNDUSA
Nadine Stoner, President
1118 Central Ave., Beloit, WI 53511
Phone 608-362-7873
CGUSA focused on outreach this past year.
CGUSA chartered new chapters in West Virginia and Ontario, Canada, bringing the total number to 20. Member recruitment letters and newly designed brochures were sent to 1,000 prospects. The new Chapter Development Handbook, How to Start and Operate a Chapter of Common Ground-USA (revised by Marion Sapiro), was distributed to those who attended the CGO conference and CG-USA annual meeting and mailed to every CG-USA member and others requesting copies.
LANDTAX.org was established as an Internet 'domain' by CGUSA Secretary Scott Walton (E-mail: swalton@interaccess.com). Selected GroundSwell articles and other George oriented material will be published through this medium. A CG Web page for on-line education/information/discussion among Georgists and potential Georgists is coming. He requests that interested persons send their E-mail addresses to him for the directory that he is compiling. A display advertisement was placed in the 1996 National Conference of State Legislatures Exhibitors Pocket Guide for the NCSL annual conference to be held in St. Louis, Mo. in late July. CGUSA will also rent an exhibit booth to distribute literature and establish contact with legislators of all 50 states of the USA. A special brochure was developed for this audience entitled, The Revenue Source Is Under Our Feet.
CGUSA sponsored an 'event' for the United People's Assembly (a United Nations affiliate) which met in San Francisco June 21-24. Mary Rose Kaczorowski, Outreach Director of the Henry George School, San Francisco and a CGUSA member, served on the Steering Committee of the Action Coalition for Global Change which organized this conference coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. Over 100 organizations and 6,000 people participated. Assembly resolutions to the U.N. included one, initiated by Georgists, addressing access to land and natural resources.
Issues were researched and 'Letter Lobby' kits were distributed by Chair, Nadine Stoner, soliciting letters to legislators re:
- splitting the operations budget from the capital improvements budget;
- entitlements (re Social Security);
- capital gains (stressing that most gains are from land value which appreciates, not buildings which depreciate);
- operation/policies of the Presidio National Park Commission;
- tax reform recommendations of the National Commission on Economic Growth
GroundSwell publicized projects conducted by CG chapters and members during the year and cited those which earned Wylie Young Award Certificates.
Among the most far reaching projects are those of the Chicago chapterBetter Cities Committee of Illinois . They have produced 15 new videos Committee of Illinois. (an affiliate of CGUSA). Scott and Sue Walton and colleagues produced 15 new videos since October, 1994; including 5 so far in 1996. They also filmed the 1994 and 1995 CGO conferences and will film the 1996 conference as well. They continue to originate cablecast twice weekly in five suburbs of Chicago. They have used video to develop relationships with other groups such as the World Federalists, the Evanston Republican Party, Evanston First Night, Evanston Democratic Party, the Reason Foundation and the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships.
BCCI uses the Internet to "spread the word" by subscribing to discussion groups and responding and posting messages to various Internet discussion groups. They found that communicating with government officials and newspapers via e-mail is far more effective than letters or phone calls.
Among the political accomplishments of CG chapters and members were these:
A bill was introduced in the Washington State Legislature requiring the State to do a study of the 2-tier tax. In conjunction with this legislation, the booklet Let the State of Washington Look to the Land was published by Eugene Levin of the Washington State chapter (written by Walter Rybeck).. The Robert Schalkenbach Foundation made a grant for a tax study of the Olympia area, similar to that done in Seattle two years ago by Dr. Thom Gehring, an urban planner.
In Missouri, Al Katzenberger (St. Louis Chapter) got his "Economic Issues Concerning Public School Finance" resolution reaffirmed by the American Federation of Teachers in Missouri and forwarded to the national convention where it was referred to the AFT Executive Council. In conjunction with this and other projects of St. Louis CGUSA, the Public Policy Studies Department of St. Louis University released a comprehensive report in 1995 entitled, "The Land Value Tax: A Study of Its Feasibility and Potential Impact on Land Values and Property Tax Revenues in the City of St. Louis."
In New Hampshire, the legislative committee that deals with property taxes (in the state which depends most heavily upon them) agreed to study LVT in depth. Rep. Richard Noyes of Salem is the Clerk of this committee . HB 1380, sponsored by Noyes, which would allow a higher rate on land than buildings, will go to Interim Study this summer and fall.
Mary Rose Kasczoroski was appointed as Common GroundUSA's Non-Governmental (NGO) Representative to the United Nations Habitat II Conference to be held May 30 to June 16. Alanna Hartzog is the delegate of the International Union for Land Value Taxation and Free Trade. Judith Vidaver of the San Francisco Chapter of CGUSA will participate as well.
The Draft Agenda for Habitat II contains a section on "Land Access" which recommends "land value recapture" and several other policies in accord with the Georgist agenda.
Alanna Hartzok and Mary Rose Kasczorowski are organizing a forum for Habitat II, entitled: "The Earth is the Birthright of All People." Every issue of GroundSwell carried feature articles by numerous Georgist authors on critical issues of the year, reviews of important new George oriented books and an inserted issue of Insights, political commentary written by Stanley and edited by Marion Sapiro. Plans and projects for the year 1996-97 will be determined at the annual meeting, October, 1996 in Ottawa, following the CGO Conference, and set forth in GroundSwell .
All Georgists are invited to join CGUSA. Dues, $36/yr. include subscription to GroundSwell (6 issues) and (4) Letter Lobby kits. Subscription to GroundSwell, only, $12; GroundSwell plus Georgist Registry Report, $15.
To become a member of Common GroundUSA, use the membership application form below.
Common Ground-USA
Application for Membership
Your Name:
City ZIP State
Signature:
Date:
Enclose Fee of $36/person
$48/family
Mail to: Sue Walton Phone: 847-475-0391
Common GroundUSA Fax: 847-475-3776
1111 Church St. #405 Email: swalton@landtax.org
Evanston, IL 60201, USA
(Mastercard & Visa accepted)
THE HENRY GEORGE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE, NEW YORK
George Collins, Director
121 E. 30th St., New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-889-8020 FAX 212-889-8953
The HGSSS aggressively pursued its educational programs in 1995. Classes at the New York headquarters continue to be popular, and seminars on topical issues introduce large numbers of people to the school and its services.
In the last school year, 970 individuals completed courses at the New York headquarters. Five hundred and sixteen of them studied Progress and Poverty, in both English and Spanish. Over 1,200 people attended forums and seminars. Alumni of the school are becoming increasingly active. A Spanish alumni association has been formed, which has organized Friday evening seminars at the school, and held Fundamental Economics classes at three community centers in the city. In conjunction with a recent new course on "Taxes, Real Estate, and Urban Decay," the Graduate Research Committee has been established. This Committee will do research on land assessments and the probable effects of a shift to LVT in New York City. An HGS alumni discussion group is, also, being organized, independently, by recent graduates.
The library has enhanced its research and outreach potential through Internet. Voluminous material generated in the Land Access Discussion Group is being saved and indexed, and a list of on-line resources, relevant to the land question, is being assembled.
The HGS's High School Program continues successfully. A new, uncompromisingly Georgist high school economics workbook was enthusiastically received by teachers who had already used the School's other written and video materials. Circulation of the Henry George Newsletter (for high schools) continues to grow, and comments are favorable.
The 18 week Interstudent economics series of the Los Angeles HGS has become part of the approved economics curriculum in the California La Quinta School District.
Other extensions and affiliates attracted audiences found to be accessible and open to their approach.
In San Francisco the School participated fully in the United Nations 50th anniversary programs.
Classes and lectures were eagerly received in poor Philadelphia neighborhoods.
Chicago found churches hospitable to classes a