Monthly Archives: December 2015

INTERIM Private property Rights. Civil Asset Forfeiture. 100 Editorials. Texas Legislative Reference Library.

What’s happening? The Texas Legislative Reference Library circulated Civil Asset Reform Information.

What group is putting out the civil asset reform information? Institute for Justice.

What’s the information say? over 100 editorials nation wide are calling for civil asset forfeiture reform.

Why does this matter? Interim Charges call for reviewing civil asset laws. TPPF has been calling for civil asset reform for a couple years.

Why is this a Texas issue? Local governmental entities…

Art as a Means to Stop Eminent Domain by Pipelines

Art to stop eminent domain, who came up with that? eco-artist Aviva Rahmani’s Blued Trees

What’s the goal of using art to stop eminent domain?  To prevent private corporations from gaining eminent domain for natural gas pipelines on private property

How will art stop eminent domain? 1990 Visual Artists Rights Acts (VARA) may provide extra protection to landowners

Cornell Daily Sun | Aviva Rahmani’s Blued Trees & the Fight Against Pipelines

 

Private Property Rights. Lege Trend: HOA Reform. 5 Point Focus from the East.

South Carolina activists are pushing for Home Owner Association reform. The Legislature has a speical committee studying HOA reform. 

The 7 Hot HOA Topics that stand to be reformed:

  • HOAs collecting fees and not performing basic maintenance like:  clearing  garbage; maintaining a holding pond, or enforcing neighborhood rules.
  • Improve transperancy in HOA funding use
  • Improved conflict of interest standards to keep HOA boards and association management completely separate
  • strengthen HOA…

Private Gain from Eminent Domain Sparks Documentary. Top 3 Concerns from Land Owners

A documentary about a pipeline that would start in Belton, South Carolina, run through Georgia and end in Jacksonville is in the works. The top 3 concerns that emerged from landowners are:

  • A private company using eminent domain to increase profits
  • The pipeline will run through 3 states in areas that are rural and aging, increasing the chance that fewer landowners will be financially able to hire attorneys
  • Land has been in some families for 100s of years.

WAGTV | Local documentary…

Legal trend: Eminent Domain Causes project Cost to Increase by 6 Times.

Where is this eminent domain case occurring? The San Benito County, California

What’s the project being built? bridge

What’s the impetus of the cost increase? Legal feees associated with eminent domain

What is the predicted cost increase? From $50,000 to acquire land to $300,000

Benito Link  | Eminent domain causes bridge construction legal costs to balloon

Private Property Rights: State vs. the Feds. 3 Things to Know about the Northern Border Property Rights Fight.

  • Land shifted along the Red River, as river banks do. This caused the state border to shift. The federal Bureau of Land Management stepped in to save the day and took control of 113 acres along the border.
  • 7 Texas landowners sued. GLO joined the suit to help the Texans.
    • Local county officials have also joined the lawsuit to help the Texas landowners.
  • The landowners ahve the blessing of conservatives like TPPF.

CBSDFW | Bush’s Texas Agency Joins Lawsuit Alleging Federal…

Deadline to Report Eminent Domain Power Fast Approaching. 5 Things to Know About Eminent Domain Transparency.

  • Online eminent domain database was created by SB 1812 (Kolkhorst & Geren)
  • All entities with eminent domain authority, public & private, can begin reporting on December 7th. The Form will be here. 
  • Deadline for reporting is February 1, 2016.
  • Comptroller recommends that entities with eminent domain authority designate one officer or employee as point of contact for current eminent domain information
  • 10 Pieces of Information will be online:
    • the entity’s full legal name;
    • the…

INTERIM SHARING ECONOMY: Private Property Rights: In an Airport Taxi Permit?

Who is claiming a property right in a permit? Taxi drivers that hold a permit to service DFW are claiming a property right in the taxi permit for DFW

How did this argument emerge? The DFW airport board amended its rules on ground transportation. Thereafter, the taxis sued Uber and Lyft.

The response from the sharing economy? There is no vested proeprty right in a permit to operate at DFW

Who will decide this dispute? A Dallas County Court

Courthouse News Service | Uber & Lyft Fight…