Our Goal Create incentives for conservation and remove incentives for sprawl development in state tax policies for individuals and corporations and in state aid and annexation policies for local governments. Reduce the influence of special interests on state policy. State aid programs for local governments and state policy regarding annexation are blind to the quality of development that takes place and this has detrimental effects, especially at the periphery of cities.
Developers can whipsaw municipalities in a race to the bottom as they fight over tax base.
Meanwhile, the influence of special private interests, especially road builders, is far greater than it should be thanks to their contributions to state lawmakers. Propose a Legislative Council study on the impacts of tax base competition and other taxation policies on land use. Propose or support annexation reform measures that direct growth toward more compact urban centers while significantly restricting development both at the urban periphery and in rural areas. Propose adoption of the Vermont land gains tax model which applies a graduated capital gains tax based on how long the land is held, providing a stiff penalty for land speculators and tax relief for farmers who hold their land for a long time and pass it on for farming. Support campaign finance reform.