Madam, - I support Konrad Dechant's call (October 31st) for the introduction of Land Value Tax (LVT).
The recent programme for Government includes the introduction of legislation based on the Kenny Report (1972), which proposed that a local authority could purchase any land it rezoned at its current use value plus 25 per cent.
There is no sign of this legislation being brought forward, even though it would have contributed to controlling the surge in land values which were a major contribution to our current economic collapse, and would curtail the frenzy for rezoning by local councillors well ahead of demand.
The present economic collapse will remove the urgency of introducing such legislation and give us the opportunity to debate LVT, which many consider would be a much fairer and more comprehensive form of taxation.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Private Property, reporting in 2004, recommended that "if the Kenny scheme is not proceeded with, there are a number of measures which could recover betterment". Included in these measures was an annual site value tax.
I trust the present Commission on Taxation will give it the strong consideration it deserves. - Yours, etc,