ALTER's first conference aims to go into greater depth than at our fringe meetings covering various aspects of both land taxation and economic reform. Talks will last 20-30 minutes followed by Q & A to develop ALTER's policies.

Cost will be £16 for non members and £8 for members to cover refreshments and buffet lunch. Payment on the day, but please email the ALTER Secretary at enquiries@libdemsalter.org.uk to book lunch, and let us know you are coming.

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The Taxing Question of Land - Crowd Funding video deserves your financial support

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Please do so now at http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/investment-updates/the-taxing-question-of-land-value-1905

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The Robert Schalkenbach Foundation has released a very competently made and well produced video putting forward the economic case for Land Value Tax called "On Solid Ground", and focusing on the situation of the USA. The main thrust of the video is how and why taxing economic rent is more efficient than taxes on work and profits.

Our Vice Chairman Tony Vickers writes about George Monbiot in yesterday's Guardian.

LVT is a truly transformative Big Idea - which was OURS but is now claimed by Greens! Indeed, when I was a young Liberal, both these were ingrained in our philosophy, not just Policy..

Monbiot states "Last week I ran a small online poll, asking people to nominate inspiring, transfiguring ideas. The two mentioned most often were land value taxation and a basic income. As it happens, both are championed by the Green Party(7,8). On this and other measures, its policies are by a long way more progressive than Labour's."

Come and see our our stall, at the Social Liberal Forum Conference in Manchester this July.

Daniel Henry will be co-ordinating this, and would be grateful for offers of help from ALTER members!

The draft programme can be seen at the SLF website.

Change of venue

The conference will now take place at the Friends Meeting House in Central Manchester. It is a short tram ride (or 15 minute walk) from Manchester Piccadilly station.

Undoubtedly the most comprehensive and powerful analysis of the case for LVT and how to proceed with it here and now.

http://www.carolinelucas.com/media/fair,-efficient,-sustainable-new-report-shows-strong-case-for-land-value-tax.html

Caroline Lucas announced its publication at the ALTER fringe meeting in Brighton on 8th March. Please share the link widely, in time for advocates to use the evidence therein in their responses to our Lib Dem tax policy consultation.

Simon Tilford, of the Centre for Europan Reform, has identified the rigged property market as being the UK's biggest economic distortion, comparable in its damaging effects to the paralyzed labour market of the southern European nations. He idenifies LVT as a major component in fixing this problem, although I'm not sure I would go with him on deregulating the green belts. Still, a thoughtful article, see...

The Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has tabled a Private Members Bill....

"to require the Secretary of State to commission a programme of research into the merits of replacing the Council Tax and Non-domestic rates in England with an annual levy on the unimproved value of all land, including transitional arrangements"