Letters: 'Progressive' parcel tax would backfire on Oakland residents

"Beth Weinberger's proposed "progressive" parcel tax based on square footage would, in fact, be regressive, selectively over-burdening those in larger homes without any consideration of their location. It could further devastate shops, restaurants, startups, and small industrial and R&D companies, many of whom rent in, or own, large old buildings, but have low revenues and are often unprofitable and struggling to survive."

"Oakland already has high retail, office and industrial vacancy rates, and businesses with low sales will be further harmed by a tax that is not based on revenue, profitability or actual property value, but simply on square footage. Rather than heaping another tax on top of existing high taxes, Oakland must better manage overtime, and become more selective and more efficiently execute capital projects, improvements and operations, so that more of our businesses can survive, and our resident children will not be further priced out of living here."

"In his letter advocating that society "restore punishment as a societal norm," Brian Foster misses a key part of punishing offenders. The National Institute of Justice in 1998 published a report showing that the most effective way to deter crime is not simply to have punishment but to have the application of punishment be a certainty. Policies aimed at achieving that certainty always need to be weighed against preserving and respecting civil rights, and that can be a time-consuming process."

A proposed parcel tax based on square footage would be regressive, overburdening owners or renters of larger homes and large old buildings regardless of income or location. Such a tax could devastate shops, restaurants, startups, and small industrial and R&D companies that occupy large spaces but often have low revenues or operate at a loss. High retail, office and industrial vacancy rates would worsen if taxes ignore revenue, profitability or actual property value. Effective deterrence of crime depends on the certainty of punishment, which requires policies that balance enforcement with civil-rights protections and avoid mandates that prompt delay or compromise.

Read at The Mercury News