Once again this year, our colleagues from the Public Revenue Education Council will have a booth at the annual conference of the National Council of State Legislators. PREC travel to the host city each year, and in 2016 they’re at McCormick Place in Chicago.
PREC will want assistance from local people who have completed one or more courses at the Henry George School and understand the fundamentals of political economy, especially land value taxation and the “two-rate” or “split rate” tax. If you might like to help out, contact Chuck Metalitz for more details. Because this conference of public officials is closed to the public, this might be you only way to get into the exhibit hall, and requires pre-arrangement. Only a limited number of these volunteer positions is available.
If you want to understand the underlying causes of persistent poverty in America, you’ll benefit from this course. This is the “modern” version, based on Bob Drake’s “Abridged for Modern Readers” edit of Henry George’s original book. As always, the first class session is entirely free, but if you decide to enroll in the course we request a $25 fee to help cover costs. Veteran HGS instructor Bob Jene will help you understand not only the causes of economic stagnation, but a workable remedy.
This course will meet for six consecutive Friday’s beginning January 6. Our space at Overflow Coffee Bar is directly served by CTA routes 62 and 29, and a reasonable walk from Red, Green, and Orange Line Roosevelt station, as well as Metra Electric’s Museum Campus and 18th Street stops.
ProPublica Illinois investigative reporter Jason Grotto (formerly with the Chicago Tribune) has produced several major research stories about problems with real estate assessments in Cook County, as well as with the Assessor’s office itself. He’ll join us to talk about how and why he undertook this work, what’s wrong with the Assessor’s office and how it could be repaired, how the property tax would function if it were competently administered, and, if we’re lucky, how the tax could be restructured to improve fairness and better fund public services while promoting economic opportunity.
Join us to learn about some of the practical difficulties in bringing competence and efficiency to the administration of what could be a very fair tax.
PREREGISTRATION MANDATORY: Due to building policies you must pre-register by email or or by phoning us at 312 450-2906
The annual gathering of North American activists and educators promoting economic justice. The date and location are set, but other details will be posted to their site as they are determined.