Tax Blue Areas

For John, BLUF:  Not an issue for Highland Street residents.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From USA Today we have an OpEd by Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds—"Tax the blue zones".  The sub-headline is "A climate change tax measure Democrats and Republicans alike should get behind."

The lede plus two.

It’s already too late to stop global warming, say scientists.  No matter what we do, sea levels will rise.  Some climate activists have even released an interactive map that will let you see how much of, say Washington, DC, will be under water in the next century, with the flooded zones depicted in blue. (Not all of it, alas).

Well, if it’s too late to stop global warming, I have a modest proposal instead:  Tax the blue zones.  That is, minimize the damage that will occur from flooding many decades in the future by reducing development now.

If we’re seriously worried about flooding from higher sea levels, then we want to make sure that areas that will be flooded in the future won’t be developed now.  We want to limit the investment in buildings that will be swamped, and we want to limit the number of people who’ll have to move.  And we want to encourage people who live in those areas now to move away in the near future, before they’re flooded.

I like this idea, but then the sea level won't reach my home for many decades.  Thus, I would not be subject to the tax.  Tax those who are in the areas to be flooded, because they will be the ones who will be asking for future dollars to help them ameliorate their situation.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff