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Taxes & Mortgages

In Washington, Exploring a Sales Tax for BRT Funding

May 18, 2011 by TheCityFix - produced by EMBARQ
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The board of directors of C-Tran, the transit agency that serves Clark County in Vancouver, Wash., voted to add a ballot measure for a 0.1 percent sales tax increase to fund the proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) project, the Oregon Live reports. The ballot measure will be up for voting either in the upcoming August or November 2012... [read more]

Michigan Leads the Way

May 13, 2011 by Project for Public Spaces
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Placemaking and Place-Based Governance is New, State-Wide Economic Development Strategy Downtown Traverse City, MI in early July during the National Cherry Festival. Image © Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau Interest in the idea of Placemaking and Place-based Governance has been ‘percolating’ around the world during the past... [read more]

What The New Budget Could Mean For The Green Economy

April 6, 2011 by Shari Shapiro
with 149 views
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The United States is at a precipice with respect to public motivators for the green economy. Essentially, the carrot of public incentives or investment and the stick of potential mandatory regulation of carbon emissions are slated for elimination at the same time.  Although we cannot know what this two part... [read more]

No quick fix to save our cities, so we’d better start now

March 24, 2011 by Donovan Gillman
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A piece from THE DAILY MAVERICK , emailed to me by friend highlights how some people are “getting it” as far as the problems with our cities – Ian Ollis  seems to be one of them and being a politician, seems to say it well – worth a read  - become one of the 4% in the know (read the article!) so we can make a difference — I... [read more]

A budget for cities?

March 23, 2011 by Centre for Cities
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In a Budget that was meant to be all about growth, what was in it for the cities that will drive this economic growth? Various national policies will affect different cities, from corporation tax reductions and the Entrepreneurs Relief Scheme to sector specific announcements on manufacturing and green measures. But three policy... [read more]

Homeownership questioned by growing number of skeptics

March 21, 2011 by Maila Klowe
with 77 views
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One of the longest standing hallmarks of the "American Dream" is becoming a homeowner. However, a growing number of skeptics are beginning to question whether it is actually a good idea for people to buy a home at all. There is some evidence that could support home-ownership skeptics' argument. Housing prices may not perform that well as... [read more]

The Destiny USA Debacle: Destined for Trouble

March 7, 2011 by Chris Cheatham
with 287 views
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I am publishing a series of posts on the Destiny USA Debacle -- the federally sponsored Green Bonds project that has failed to incorporate promised green building features.  To read all of the posts at once, select the Destiny USA tag.  We have now set the scene for the Destiny USA debacle.  The key players have been... [read more]

More on the IRS and the Destiny USA Debacle

February 28, 2011 by Stephen Del Percio
with 292 views
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Unless you’re enjoying an extended President’s Day vacation this week, there’s a good chance you’ve already read Rick Moriarty’s fantastic piece from last weekend’s Syracuse Post-Standard about the latest hurdle facing the developer (Robert Congel) of the star-crossed Destiny USA mega-mall project in Syracuse, New York. If that project... [read more]

The Destiny USA Debacle: How Green Building Sausage is Made

February 28, 2011 by Chris Cheatham
with 345 views
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I am publishing a series of posts on the Destiny USA Debacle -- the federally sponsored Green Bonds project that has failed to incorporate promised green building features.  To read all of the posts, you can select the Destiny USA tag to review all of the published posts on this topic.  Or check back later in the week for... [read more]

The Cautionary Tale Of Destiny USA And Green Bonds

February 25, 2011 by Shari Shapiro
with 238 views
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I covered the messy breakdown of the Carousel/Destiny USA project in Syracuse on Monday.  In short, the Destiny USA project was selected as a green "demonstration" project under the 2004 Green Bonds program.  $255 million in tax exempt bonds were issued on behalf of the project, the revenue of which was supposed to be... [read more]

The Destiny USA Debacle: The Biggest Green Building Policy Story to Date

February 24, 2011 by Chris Cheatham
with 361 views
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I have been working tirelessly to understand the intricacies of the Destiny USA dispute.  It is quite a mind-bender, which I hope to illuminate for you in the coming days.  But I am sure of one thing: This is easily the most important green building policy story to date.   The dispute centers around a much... [read more]

Welfare reform and cities

February 18, 2011 by Centre for Cities
with 282 views
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The Welfare Reform Bill looks set to radically overhaul the way people are paid benefits – David Cameron called it the “the most ambitious, fundamental and radical changes to the welfare system since it began”. Key elements of the Bill are: The Universal Credit will start to be rolled out in 2013. It aims to simplify the system and... [read more]