Lege Trend: Strip Cities of Eminent Domain Authority

North Carolina is moving a bill to strip cities of their ability to condemn outside their municipal borders.  The cities will still be able to move forward with eminent domain if they get consent of county commissioners. 

Property rights activists have been singing this tune in Texas for years as cities in Texas use their powers in their ETJ.

HB 875 North Carolina Legislature

Go Blue Ridge.Net | Eminent Domain Bill Moving

HiCounty Press: Soucek Adavances Bill restricting Eminent…

NFL Stadium Backers Gain Eminent Domain on Unanimous Vote

St. Louis NFL backers gained the power of eminent domain this week when the Regional Sports Authority voted unanimously to allow for eminent domain.

The Regional Sports Authority Chairman said he did not expect to use eminent domain, but it is available if necessary.

The new Riverfront stadium is in the planning stage and has spent $9 million with “no commitment from any NFL owner… to invest $250 million in the plan.” Whther the Rams stay or go is anticipated to be announced by the NFL…

10 years. $19 Million Verdict. Win for Land Owners Battling Eminent Domain.

The Legal Decision a Win for Landowners. Landowners in Long Beach, New York prevailed in court this week when an appeal by the city was denied.

$5.5M per landowner for undervalued land in eminent domain. The decision awards $19 million for land values, attorney fees and costs, plus interest to land owners. Each landowner was underpaid for property at the roughly $5.5 million each.

What is the city doing with this land? A Developer wants to build luxury apartments, retail space, and a…

Private Property Rights: 3 Reasons why Red States Act Now on Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform & 6 Reforms via TPPF

TPPF tells us red states are moving to reform cvil asset forfeiture laws because:

  • affront to central conservative ideals of property rights]
  • affront to due process of law
  • affront to the rule of law  

Recommended reforms:

  • abolish civil asset forfeiture entirely
  • prohibit or regulate asset sharing with the federal government
  • implement loser pay, so that the government pays attorney fees for innocent citizens
  • require the state to “substantiate the property owner’s involvement in a…

Eminent Domain by Aliens from Outer Space. Eminent Domain Hits Area 51.

The Aliens are Coming. The U.S. Airforce controls Area 51 in the Nevada desert. To enlarge its alien collection, or some other non-tin foil hat reason, the U.S. Air Force wants to expand Area 51.

Private Property Rights are Gold- literally in Nevada. Rural Nevadans are a lot like Texans- independent minded- and land loving. 

The Feds want to acquire mining lands. The Sheahans have owned hundreds of acres since the 1880s. They’ve buried their family members on the land. The U.S….

Eminent Domain Protest of Pipeline. Raise new issue: Unfair Commercial Appraisals.

Who: Joint forces of private property rights advocates & environmentalists

What: Protesting the Constitution Pipeline in New York

Why does this matter? Because this trend was started by Texans. Willie Nelson headlined a concert protesting Keystone XL Pipeline. 

What they’re saying: 

  • threats to landowners
  • moving toxic waste through greenspace
  • commercial appraisals are low on oil and gas facilities, which hurts communities 

Watershed Post: Scores protest pipelines at rally in…

Club for Growth Hits Trump on Eminent Domain. 3 Attack by Attack Points.

  1. $1 Million spent on 3 ads in Iowa
  2. ““Trump supports eminent domain abuse  …  Trump, the worst kind of politician,”
  3. Trump attacks back.
    1. Yes, he supports more taxes on top earners
    2. This attack is because Trump wouldn’t give Club for Growth $1million donation in June

Christian Science Monitor: Conservative Club for Growth slams Trump: Empire Striking Back?

CBS News: Conservative Club for Growth launches $1 million anti-Donald Trump campaign

Washington Times: Donald Trump is…

TPPF: Annexation in San Antonio is a Property Grab. 4 Reasons to Pass Annexation Reform.

Pointing to a new forced annexation of 87 square miles and 52,000 Texans in San Antonio, the Texas Public Policy Foundation proposes passage of annexation reform.

TPPF backed  SB 1639 and HB 2221 from the 2015 Texas Legislature. These were good reforms for these 4 reasons:

  • “growing government spending is not a reasonable justification for trampling on someone’s private property rights”
  • Reform needs to include cities providing “a written contract for services shown in at least…

Safety + Eminent Domain = Lege Trend: No Eminent Domain for Dangerous Products in a Pipeline

Kentucky Legislature is debating whether to permit a proposed repurposing of an existing natural gas pipeline. The debate has brought to light 70 year old easements.

Clearly thoughts have changed in 70 years. The safety of the types of fluids that traverse the pipes, plus recent safety issues are weighing on legislators.

Here’s what one Kentucky legislator said publicly:

“I say that there should not be a legal argument that you have the right to take someone’s property to put a…

UPDATE Trump, the Widow, Eminent Domain, CATO & Washington Post

Once upon a time, Trump sought to use eminent domain against a widow’s home to obtain land to build a limo parking lot. Today the story is on the front of the Washington Post Style Section.

CATO: Donald Trump, Eminent Domain, and the Widow’s House

Washington Post: The time Donald Trump’s empire took on a stubborn widow — and lost

 

Information Intelligence Ausgust 27, 2015:

CATO, the libertarian leaning think tank, sounding the horn on Donald Trump and his reliance on eminent…