Letter: Another way to tax property

Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 | 4:20 a.m.

February 19 - 20, 2005

With regard to the property tax issue, would it not be in the best interests of the state to factor in the conservation of energy? Rather than tax a home's square feet, how about a tax on cubic feet? During World War II, many houses were built with only 7 feet of clearance between floor and ceiling. Fuel and other things were rationed because of short supply. When someone complained, he was told, "Hey Joe, there's a war on!" I would like to remind everyone there is a war going on today.

Envision, just for starters, a tax of 1 cent for every cubic foot on all newly constructed homes, and a tax of one-quarter cent per cubic foot on all older homes. Do the math. A new, one-story, 2,000-square-foot home with 12-foot ceilings would generate a tax of $240. And that's just with the starting idea of 1 cent per cubic foot. Larger homes would be taxed considerably more, and smaller, more energy-efficient homes would realize a nice tax benefit.

JAMES GUENTHER

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