Wednesday, June 19, 2002
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Wednesday, June 19, 2002 |
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Want to stop growth? Here are effective ways On the surface I would agree with Bob Craft; I do not want Fayette County to turn into a Riverdale. Furthermore, I will disclose that I am a builder and thus in Bob's eyes only slightly less evil than the terrible developers that have caused all of society's problems. I wish also to state that I build high-quality, half-million-dollar homes; live in the same neighborhood where I build; and will eventually have three kids in the county schools. In other words I care about the way this county builds out. What disturbs me about Bob's argument is that he believes that we can elect the right people and stop development. Eventually the property owners who wish to sell their land to developers and are stymied by zoning laws will take the matter to court. They will claim that arbitrary zoning not based on health or safety or any other logical criteria will constitute a "taking" of private property by government without compensation. They will eventually win if they have deep enough pockets behind them. The only real way to control growth is not to control construction and development, which are a result of growth, but to control population and job growth. Here are a few effective ways to do it, though some are just as anti-libertarian as Bob's: 1. Stop facilities growth at the Atlanta Airport. This will stop job growth at the airport and have a multiplier effect throughout the region (i.e., less doctors, grocers, even builders). 2. Get rid of our county property tax system and go to a more regressive all-sales tax and user-fee system. This would discourage the influx of lower income folks who tend to only be able to afford high-density housing. This is as mean-spirited as Bob's ideas, but a whole lot more effective. 3. Stop immigration, no exceptions. Replace it with a temporary guest worker program. This is perfectly legal, unlike bogus zoning laws, and would definitely reduce demand for housing and shopping centers. 4. Remove tax advantages for families with children from the tax code to encourage smaller families. After all, population growth causes demand for housing, not the other way around. 5. Eliminate state and county tax advantages used to attract new business. If the businesses stop relocating here, then obviously there will be less job creation and housing growth. These are all ideas to slow or stop growth that would be more legal and effective than arbitrary zoning. But before we decide to use these or Bob's measures to control growth we should consider two things. One, in a free society, do we want to hand so much control over what used to be considered private business matters and over the uses of private property to the government or to the community in general? In other words, will we remain free individuals or are we to form a commune where everyone has a say in everything? Two, once stopped, will we be able to turn growth back on, or stop decline? Many stagnant communities would give their right arm to have our growth problem. I sometimes wonder if our generation will be the ones who finally stupidly put an end to freedom in this country. When we take other people's rights, property, and freedom of action away from them, we will eventually lose our own. Bill Gilmer wmgilmer@mindspring.com
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