Legislative Prospects for LVT
Are there any legal impediments to implementing Land Value Taxation in Maryland?
- Incorporated municipalities already have the authority to implement LVT. Contact us if you'd like more information, including a copy of an
Attorney General opinion directly on point.
- At the County level, current statutes prohibit counties and Balitmore City from directly implementing LVT. However, local option
legislation has been introduced in the last two sessions to correct
this unusual situation where counties have less authority with respect
to the property tax than municipalities. We fully expect local option
LVT legislation to be introduced in 2006.
- And in 2005, legislation was introduced to move public school funding toward a statewide basis using land value only taxation rather than the taxation of improvements.
- In the past 3 years, six different LVT bills have been introduced in the House - these include local options for the counties and Baltimore City, statewide reform, and using LVT to pay for school funding. These bills where champtioned by Delegates Clarence Davis and Michael Gordon, both of whom are retiring in 2006 after long careers. In 2006, the Baltimore City Delegation voted 10-2 in favor of a local option. Notwithstanding, the request for local courtesy, the House Ways and Means Committee took no vote.
- There are other revenue neutral ways to reduce net taxes on improvements and wages while raising net taxes on land value.
Contact us for additional information.
