We accept that the proposed tax system is quite a leap from the current one.
How quickly the shift can be achieved is a political decision, and we do not imagine that the tax shift can be achieved in one year, or within one parliamentary term, or possibly ever (because of a Home-Owner-Ist backlash and behind the scenes lobbying by large landowners, banks and large property developers).
But surely at the very least - and to get the ball rolling - we could replace Council Tax, SDLT (on residential) and Inheritance Tax with a flat rate LVT on housing? Surely we could replace Business Rates and SDLT (on commercial sales and leases) with a flat rate LVT on commercial land?
It will take a year for the LVT assessment and collection systems to bed in. From there on, it is just a question of shaving a few percentage points off VAT and National Insurance rates each year, abolishing minor 'nuisance' taxes and increasing the amount of LVT collected by a similar amount each year. Whether the leap to the proposed system is ever achieved or not, the further we get, the better.
