It’s December and another year, actually another decade, is quickly drawing to a close. It’s a time for many to celebrate and make New Year’s resolutions, and at RSF we’re eager to do both!
First, the reasons to celebrate (and let me start by saying that there are so many, I may leave a few off, but here goes):
Our mission. Seriously, RSF’s mission is amazing and SO incredibly important at this particular point in history. All you have to do is turn on the TV or radio, or log onto social media, and you’re bombarded with stories of fiscal and environmental crises, trade wars, and increasing disparities between the haves and the have-nots. Could there be a better time to work towards a future in which no one accumulates vast wealth while others cannot meet basic needs? A better time to put our efforts towards ensuring that the natural world is respected and preserved? I don’t think so, and with two young boys (Matthew, 9, and Spencer, 2), my work at RSF is never just professional, it’s a personal effort to ensure that our kids and theirs will have the opportunities they deserve to thrive.
Our people. RSF may be small, but we sure are mighty. With a staff of just one full time person (ahem…me), and three part-timers (our Digital Projects Manager, Vajra Minter, Director of Operations and Finance, Gail Lambert, and Program Director, Brendan
Hennigan) it’s critical that everyone go above and beyond to get the job done. It’s a lot to ask, but it’s a team effort and everyone comes together to do their part each and every day. Add to this the efforts of our hard working and knowledgeable Board of Directors and it’s clear that we’ll be moving full steam ahead into this new decade.
Our history. Did you know that RSF is almost 100 years old? It’s true, and as we near our centenary there are so many things to look back on with pride, and so many reasons to look towards the future with high expectations.
So what about those high expectations? Does RSF have any New Year’s resolutions? Ummm…of course we do!
We will make our resources cheaper and easier to access. RSF has long distributed books and other materials by Henry George and like-minded thinkers. In 2020, you’ll see begin to see the
results of efforts already underway to make everything we have even easier to access – free of charge in digital formats, and in low cost e-book and print options. Sharing ideas is what we’re all about and we want to remove any and all barriers to access.
We will raise communities’ awareness of LVT and facilitate its adoption. If you read last month’s newsletter, you know that we recently founded The Center for Property Tax Reform (CPTR) as a joint effort with the Center for the Study of Economics. In the new year, you’ll see CPTR doing a lot to investigate applications and implications of land value tax in real world contexts, so stay tuned!
We will support, conduct, and disseminate research with tax policy and land use implications.Research, research, research!It’s my comfort zone for sure, but it’s also the currency of a lot of policy decisions and the bedrock of effective awareness building, so in 2020, look for RSF to be supporting and conducting research, especially through in interesting variety of graduate-level internships.
So that’s about it for me. Happy New Year and new decade, and happy holidays to all who celebrate! I’m so glad to have you with us on this great adventure. Here’s to 2020!
