Debate Magazine

Regional Inequality. LVT Will Sort It Out.

Posted on the 06 March 2014 by Markwadsworth @Mark_Wadsworth
Every time a city doubles in size, it gains a 15% bonus.15% higher GDP per capita. 15% higher wages. 15% more amenities per capita.This becomes a positive feedback loop with more people attracted by those benefits. Economists call it agglomeration. Given London is not only the largest city in the UK, but Europe too(over twice as large as Berlin), it attracts everyone from around the World for a piece of the action.The problem lies in the fact this productive surplus is captured by landowners, by the simple expedient of owning a freehold title. Hence higher house prices. The right to exclude others from gaining access to this surplus is granted by the State. So the fact it doesn't ask landowners to pay for this privilege is therefore an implicit subsidy.Given London and the SE has about 60% of land by value, this has some very important ramifications for others parts of the UK. It means taxation on income and enterprise, that has to be raised in order to support this subsidy also falls on more marginal areas.So regions outside the SE are effectively being priced out by tax.End this subsidy, and lower/eliminate taxation, those areas outside the SE have a far lower tax burden than at present. This would attract much higher investment where it is needed most.So on a 100% LVT only model. London and the SE would be paying an extra £134 bn per year (2007 figures). Or an increase of 75%.We don't need redistributive government policy. That has, and always will fail. Just a level playing field so Birmingham, Leeds and Glasgow can up their rate of agglomeration too. Regional Inequality. LVT will sort it out.

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