Trust us, we’re from the government
Dec 13, 2007 Gelt, Lex scripta, Sisyphus
When the Supreme Court upheld the condemnation of private property for transfer to other private parties in Kelo v. City of New London, it was in large part on the theory that courts should defer to local governments’ judgments about when the use of eminent domain is needed to promote “economic development.” However, two and one half years after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city and some seven years after the condemnation proceedings were first initiated, little or no economic development has occurred on the condemned land.
You’d almost say it’s enough to make anyone a small-L libertarian, except the fact is the Supreme Court booted this under plain old constitutional law.
December 16th, 2007 at 3:37 am
I really, really detest the Kelo decision. I worked with missionaries in Chester, PA who had a school building they were hoping to use that was seized under eminent domain so the city could build a racetrack. I’ll probably take a real estate law course at some point just so I can do occasional pro bono work on that front if possible.
December 16th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Oh, that is ironic!