Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

[i]News[/i] A special section for news and events. A monthly column covering subjects related to the work of the Lincoln Institute, such as planning, development, tax policy and international land issues, with links to both news coverage and Lincoln research. At Lincoln House – named for the home of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy near Harvard square in Cambridge, Mass. – also includes an at-a-glance calendar of upcoming events and brief items of interest in the world of land policy. November 2007, in this issue : [i]- What's land got to do with it?[/i] Because climate change is the "ultimate externality," as MIT's Robert Solow has put it, the world of land policy faces complex questions. How much impact does land use have on emissions and energy efficiency? If one city, region or state ties land policies to reducing emissions, will the impact be diluted because the neighboring jurisdiction does not? Are other things more central in the climate debate, such as continued international reliance on coal-fired power plants or the price on carbon? ... [i]- Relying on the property tax[/i] New England states are more dependent on the property tax to fund local services, including schools, than most other regions. Nationwide, about half of local revenues come from the property tax. But older industrial cities need to charge higher rates on lower assessed values to get the revenue they need, said Barry Bluestone, Stearns Trustee Professor of Political Economy and Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University in Boston. Bluestone spoke at a Lincoln Lecture Nov. 2 at Lincoln House titled "The Potential for Uneven Economic Development in Massachusetts: The Role of Property Taxation and State Local Aid." ... [i]- Oregon thinks again[/i] The passage of Measure 49 in Oregon this month marks another milestone in the continuing saga of managing growth and private property rights in the Pacific Northwest. The ballot measure essentially rolls back the terms of Measure 37, passed in 2004, that loosened restrictions on development outside urban growth boundaries. Measure 49 passed by about the same margin as Measure 37, and indicates a substantial rethinking by voters. Planners remain guarded, however, as tensions have not eased. ... In the past issues: - Unintended consequences - Smart growth and China - Community land trusts - Anchors of urbanism - Pity the property tax - Climate and land use For more information visit the official site: http://www.lincolninst.edu