01/10/2004 5:29:24 pm
Socialist Austria. Now I have learned more about the imfamous socialist aspects of the Austrian society. Currently attending a conference about housing policy in Vienna, it seems to me that this sector is in even worse shape here than in Sweden. Privately owned homes account for only 8 % of total housing in Vienna. One reason is that non-profit housing companies are heavily subsidized by not having to pay any corporate taxes - in contrast to ordinary companies. The non-profit companies are also forced by law to be members of one single, mighty, association. That is textbook corporatism. Incidentally, this association has started newspeak, they talk about "limited profit" instead of "non-pofit", since they want to give the impression that they make profits despite the fact that they don?t. This association, GBV, with some 100 employees, is a heavy lobbyist to keep its privileges and subsidies; a vicious circle. The largest municipal housing company possesses 220 000 homes of the total 900 000 in Vienna. They choose who is going to live where and how much they shall pay - not demand and supply. And by the way, non-european immigrants are not allowed to join the line waiting for a home. These facts might contribute to the explanation of why Governor Schwarzenegger left for the US.