Housing sales dropRetirees and real estate in the C’Ville regionTaxes by the mile…some states are experimenting with per-mile tax systems. In Oregon, an experimental system uses GPS to monitor how many miles a car drives. Drivers are then charged an appropriate road tax when they fuel up.Bigger houses bring big and costly energy problems – this is why there is a trend towards more efficient, more functional spaces, rather than just “bigger” spaces. Read: no dining rooms!UVa. wants an Honor Code, just without real consequences. “…
you searched for kelo
Eminent Domain update
This post at Bizzy Blog highlights some of the national and individual state movements towards protecting individuals’ property rights, in response to the SCOTUS’ Kelo ruling.Unfortunately, the author comes to this conclusion:I’m not happy with the idea that the “staying power†is already wearing down. If the relatively modest state legislation thus far is any indication, the initial outrage appears to have been largely neutralized….States and cities probably feel that they will be at an economic disadvantage against other states if they give up the ability to abuse eminent domain and other states and cities don’t.An excellent resource for staying abreast of the local and statewide eminent domain discussion is the VirginiaPropertyRights site. Perhaps most important is this link to find your legislator so that you can express your opinion(s) about this issue. I’ve said it before – this issue is neither conservative nor liberal, democrat nor republican; it is a matter of preventing the government from stealing your property.
Eminent domain roundup
Wow.On May 24, the five-member township committee voted unanimously to authorize the municipality to seize Segal’s land through eminent domain and name its own developer.”They want to steal my land,” Segal said…. Centex, a nationally known developer with projects in Middlesex, Morris and Monmouth counties, would then build 100 townhouses on Segal’s property….Florio and Capodice [the mayor and deputy mayor] said they preferred AMJM because it is a local company.”I’ve never heard of Centex,” Capodice said…. If this is not the impetus one needs to get involved in politics, I don’t know what else would provide that motivation.And here is another perspective on eminent domain.A NYTimes eminent domain article showing the merits of eminent domain in some occasions – With local government officials throughout the nation struggling to defend themselves against the storm of criticism unleashed by the Kelo decision, the International Economic Development Council, a professional group based in Washington, cites the Best Buy headquarters to illustrate why eminent domain is sometimes a crucial tool in combating urban decay and sprawl.A WSJ eminent domain article showing the same merits – when was the last time the NYTimes and WSJ had such similar stories?Situations such as this, rather than those in which people are pushed out of their homes, make up a large percentage of cases in which St…. Louis if the Supreme Court hadn’t upheld eminent-domain rules in its Kelo v. New London decision, Ms. Geisman adds.
Reading today
Regardless, here are a few of what I was reading today.PROPONENTS OF limitless growth in Loudoun County keep inventing new ways to railroad their designs into law. (WashingtonPost) The similarities between Loudon and Central Va are frightening sometimes.A NYTimes eminent domain article showing the merits of eminent domain in some occasions – With local government officials throughout the nation struggling to defend themselves against the storm of criticism unleashed by the Kelo decision, the International Economic Development Council, a professional group based in Washington, cites the Best Buy headquarters to illustrate why eminent domain is sometimes a crucial tool in combating urban decay and sprawl.Another WSJ eminent domain article showing the merits – Situations such as this, rather than those in which people are pushed out of their homes, make up a large percentage of cases in which St…. Louis if the Supreme Court hadn’t upheld eminent-domain rules in its Kelo v. New London decision, Ms. Geisman adds.Study it again!The Albemarle supervisors will join Charlottesville in sharing the cost of a road study…. prior studies show 40% of the Pantops traffic coming into and leaving Charlottesville uses East High Street.Well, golly, that makes sense …
What a shame …
The Supreme Court on Monday refused — as it was expected to do — to reconsider its controversial ruling expanding the power of local governments to seize private property for economic development. The action came as the Justices issued several routine orders while the Court remains in its summer recess. (The case was Kelo v. City of New London, 04-108; the Court divided 5-4 in that decision.).From the ScotusBlog. Oh well – it is up to the States and local legislators/legislatures and most importantly, the public to voice their and its opinion that this was a terrible, freedom-robbing ruling.
Are they kidding?
The words gall and audacity don’t seem to be appropriate.Referencing the Kelo case.From the Fairfield Weekly – With language seemingly lifted straight from The Goonies , NLDC’s lawyers wrote, “We know your clients did not expect to live in city-owned property for free, or rent out that property and pocket the profits, if they ultimately lost the case.” They warned that “this problem will only get worse with the passage of time,” and that the city was prepared to sue for the money if need be.VirginiaPropertyRights.org -If you haven’t already, I urge you to sign our petition now to make sure this can’t happen in Virginia. If you have already signed, please tell a friend about it. Freedom is slipping away fast from us, we can’t allow this kind of abuse of power to go unanswered.
Eminent Domain links
VirginiaPropertyRightsTheir blogBoortzWhen the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that governments had broad power to take private property to boost economic development, real-estate executives cheered. From the WSJ. This is far too much of a generalization of an entire industry.