Our Mission

The mission of our California Chapter of Common Ground USA is to explore and advocate reforms that enable our state and local governments to efficiently finance public services and infrastructure while protecting natural resources.

We believe that changes in California’s property tax system can improve access to housing, and sustainably finance the infrastructure that we all depend upon: streets and sidewalks; waste management; water, sewer, and stormwater systems; public transit; police, fire, and ambulance service; parks; libraries; public health; planning and zoning; education.

Our members work to educate about how a tax on the value of land—ie, a levy that, unlike a property tax, does not vary with the number of houses, or apartments or office buildings built on. Land Value Taxation can help mitigate market swings in real estate by separating the more stable value of the land from the buildings in creating a manageable system for real estate taxation.

About Common Ground-USA

Common Ground USA is dedicated to the principle that all persons have equal and common rights in the earth and its resources and each individual has an exclusive right to the income from his or her own labor and capital investment. We are also dedicated to support and improve the free market, including purchase, ownership, and sale of real estate.

Therefore, we are committed to reducing and replacing taxes on labor and capital. We propose to pay for essential government services by adequate taxation of the value of land and other natural resources. We also propose fees for pollution, resource extraction, and use of the public commons. We believe these changes will increase total wealth and equality of opportunity, thereby improving the quality of life for all individuals and the functioning of government.

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