Two ideas: what do you think?

My first idea is a new form of ratings. I would like to see a consumer report type feature built into the user interface. So what I propse is a change to the top ten picks in people profile. I would like us to be given the ability to pay $L10 to rate something in our top 10 picks from 1-5. I beleive if done this way, abuse would be minimal and consumers would have a reference to find tallented, trusting services in SL. It would also not be limited to consumer, attractions and social places could get recognition also. The ability to have a dialog box for a 2-3 line review would make it even better.

My second idea. I am affraid of the average consumer always getting the short stick when it comes to stabilzing the economy and creating new L$ drains. As a store owner, who is supported by the average consumer, this is a bad scenerio for me.

Yet the land market seems to be protected and everyone is affraid to make changes in that area. My proposition is to have a very small land tax applied to all land sales done on the mainland. When I say small I mean a .5%-1%. This would drain probably slightly more than the ratngs bonus and not be a constant drain on the average consumer.

Opinions please.

I like the consumer reports type idea. However it could be gammed that someone rate something "1" just because they hate the person. I don't think theres any rating system that could be gamed though. The comments also would be nice.

The Land Tax, I dunno about, I'm not involved enough in that to really care. With how much people charge up the nose for land already though, tax may make things worse.

I really do not a small tax on just the main land transactions would make much of a difference. Land prices are fairy low right now, compared to how high they used to get. It would act as the much needed money drain.

What would you think about the tax being limited to land purchases above a certain size, thus allowing the smaller residential lots to be tax free, but the larger investment/commercial size lots would be taxed.

That sounds interresting but could easily be gamed. The seller just parcels his land in small 512 pieces and you buy them one a time.

Thats true, what about a tax amnesty for first time buyers, or a limit to how many tax free lots could be purchased by one buyer?

I see the merit of taxation for larger land purchases, especially for commercial use, but I am concerned that the smaller buyer for personal use who is already facing another cut in stipend will be the ones who suffer.

But I do like the idea of some kind of tax for large commercial investors, just dont know how it can work without hurting the little guy.

Big plots would just get broken down to small plots to avoid taxing. A .5-1% tax on a land purchase is not a HUGE amount and would not be much noticable cost. Basically what I am proposing will equate to 50-100 per 10,000 spent. I also believe it should be applied as an income tax on these land deals, not a sales tax.