[CPEO-BIF] Subsidies

[Robert Paterson]

One possible model that I'm not entirely happy with but yet might still hold
out some promise for adaptable frameworks to award subsidies is the LEEDs
certification system. 

While I have problems with their attention to social justice issues and the
weighting system, it does suggest, assuming one can clearly demarcate
desired social, economic and environmental objectives, a way to allow
flexibility as well as some accountability when subsidies are applied to
brownfields. Not unlike Austin Smart Growth point system that provided
greater subsidies to developers as they meet more smart growth objectives...

So perhaps Federal, State and Local brownfield partners might craft score
cards that address desired objectives and subsidies correspond to silver,
gold and platinum projects? Well not those terms, but something like that
which reflects an ordinal ranking...

2 more cents to fuel the fire...

Cheers

Bob

Robert G. Paterson
Associate Professor
Co-Director, Center for Sustainable Development
1 University Station B7500
School of Architecture
The University of Texas
Austin TX 78712-1160
512-471-0734
Fax 512-471-0716
rgfp at mail.utexas.edu
 
 
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Of the earth. 
We did not weave the web of life; 
We are merely a strand in it. 
Whatever we do to the web. 
We do it to ourselves. 
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-----Original Message-----
From: brownfields-bounces at list.cpeo.org
[mailto:brownfields-bounces at list.cpeo.org] On Behalf Of Peter B. Meyer
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 2:08 PM
To: Trilling, Barry
Cc: Peter B. Meyer; Brownfields Internet Forum
Subject: Re: [CPEO-BIF] Subsidies

No, if Peter may respond to Barry, the whole point is NOT to promulgate 
one-size-fits-all standards. The claw-back provisions in the economic 
development programs I remember from the 1970s, starting with some in 
Pennsylvania, did not involve the state government in setting specific 
standards, other than minima to qualify for state support, but the 
developers or new businesses declarign what they thought they could 
acheive as they applied for higher levels of public support. All the 
clawbacks did was hold them to commitment they VOLUNTARILY made in 
return for public dollars.

Who is being punished in such a regime, Barry?  Perhaps it was companies 
whose markets disappeared and who could ot generate the needed number of 
jobs, but all that I have proposed is a level of mitigation as a 
condition to which clawbacks might apply -- that is much more under the 
control of the developers!

Peter

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