[jessecurry]

This is such a terrifying vision of the proper scope of government. We shouldn't use government to hurt people, and making someone's property too expensive to continue owning is definitely hurting them.

If you're really concerned with surface parking push the government to stop making it so expensive for companies to develop self-driving technology or to offer transportation services. If it's easier and less expensive for individuals to use transportation that they don't need to park anywhere the need for surface lots vanishes and those owning the property will look for something else to do with it.

[jakelazaroff]

> We shouldn't use government to hurt people, and making someone's property too expensive to continue owning is definitely hurting them.

But we are using government to hurt people — we are incentivizing (or worse, requiring) land owners to harm the surrounding community by not developing their property. A land value tax would simply shift some of the cost that is already burdening the rest of the community onto the unproductive property owners.

[fwip]

So, the thing here, is that the property you're worried about is the guy who owns a parking lot, and not the people who are being overcharged on their personal homes to subsidize mister-surface-parking.

[danny_codes]

“Overcharged” relative to what? Certainly not to land value, unless you live in a truly undesirable location

[hamdingers]

This is comically backwards. Widespread car ownership is only possible due to bottomless government subsidy in the first place.

We shouldn't use the government to hurt people, so we should stop subsidizing cars that spew poison and crush children. Right?

[Ajedi32]

> those owning the property will look for something else to do with it

Not if there's a law mandating they maintain a certain amount of parking. Eliminating such laws is part of what the article is advocating for.

Other than that I agree.

[danny_codes]

Parking lots (in desirable places) exist because of government policy. Not sure what you’re talking about. Government policy lets people under-utilize their land by letting them keep natural resource wealth personally for free. This is the egregious misuse of government power OP is bemoaning.