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Livingstone rival links democracy and land value |
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In May 2000 Steve Norris came second in the race for Mayor of London.The former Tory minister I still seen as one of current mayor Ken Livingstone's closest rivals. Here Norris tells Paul Brandon why he believes capturing land value to pay for infrastructure is a win-win situation.
On land and natural resources Steve Norris, former Tory transport minister and London mayoral candidate, believes in capturing land value gains to fund transport infrastructure.
 Indeed he argues that a ’win-win' scenario can be created where all involved in the project from landowners to the travelling public can benefit. Some believe that his robust views on liberty and freedom have the potential to inspire a rebirth in the Conservative Party's fortunes.
Bob Kiley, Livingstone's transport commissioner for London (interviewed in L&L Winter 2001/02), and Henry George Foundation member Don Riley in his book Taken for a Ride have both made the link between land and freedom.
In an exclusive interview with Land&Liberty Norris adopted a very similar outlook. “What Don says is to a degree a reflection of what I have always felt about land value capture, said Norris. “It's actually very direct and very specific, I believe that had we tapped into a great many more property owners around the [Jubilee] line we could have relieved the taxpayer of the obligation to invest in the line.
“ We would have still created the wealth that has been generated, but more of that cost would have been born by the people who have had the wealth created for them. The Norris view is that the concept of ’win-win' means those who gain in this case the landowners contribute to some of its cost. In other words they pay for benefits received.
Norris added that a major project, like the proposed Crossrail in London doesn't “necessarily have to be funded 100 per cent through land value capture, but it's a device you can use, certainly to attach to some of the gain.
The practicalities of capturing land values will become the hot topic in the coming months and years. John Spellar, the Labour transport minister, has publicly acknowledged that the government is interested in these ideas but has said the “devil is in the detail.
Asked whether community created land values could be returned to the community through restructuring Britain's tax system by collecting the flow of income from land (rents) via a land value tax, shifting the burden from labour and capital and on to land, Norris acknowledged the possibility was in his mind.
“ If you're talking about changing the nature of the burden of tax, then sensible people ought to listen. I'm just wary. I'm nearly there with Land & Liberty but not quite. Where my interests lie is in relation to schemes like the Jubilee Line or Crossrail. “ Quizzed on his views about the UK government's proposals to give regions greater powers, following on from devolved government in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Norris said he believed in devolution.
“I've always believed in the doctrine of subsidiarity. On a personal level I require government to do for me only those things which I cannot better do myself. “You might translate that into European politics. I require Europe only to do for me that which the nation state cannot better do itself.
“In terms of whether you govern regionally, nationally, or locally, I think the same criteria applies. I therefore have no difficulty with the concept of regionalism because I can see the virtue of returning decisions to a regional level, allowing resources to be generated on a regional level.
What about the ability for those regions to choose how they raise their funds? “I am not at all adverse to that. I think regional diversity means anything it means regions being able to choose how they raise their funds and what the purpose of raising those funds for.
Could that mean a land value tax?
“Absolutely and I wouldn't have any problem with that at all. That's what local democracy is all about, you would set out the options, the parties would debate them and the champions of each of these courses would present their case and the community would make a decision.
“I'm very much about empowering local communities and obviously my interest in London is that it's a brave attempt, all be it not a particular competent attempt, but it is a brave attempt to empower the local community of London, at least to some degree.
“We need go a lot further. In the meanwhile the big difference is that I would give London much more power to tax itself and raise its own funds to provide it's own services.
Additional research by Adam Brandon
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