Good news here: the Michigan Supreme Court has overturned a pro-eminent domain decision.
What we need now is, as Andrea True sang for us, once upon a time: "More, more, more..."
(Via Hit & Run)
UPDATE: More -- a comment -- here. Here's a taste:
In community after community, visioning councils are developing comprehensive land-use plans, enforceable largely by the municipality's power of eminent domain. The Poletown reversal must put a monkey wrench into these plans. No longer can a city simply declare private property to be an obstacle to economic development as justification for condemnation.If the public benefit from economic development is insufficient to justify taking of private property by eminent domain, then perhaps open space, critical habitat and environmental protection are also insufficient reasons to take private property. The U.S. Constitution does not say "public benefit," it clearly says "public use."
Another comment here, includes this chilling remark from a Poletown resident:
"It's the principle of the thing," Poletown resident Kris Biernacki told The Washington Post in 1981. "I think the whole thing stinks. I just don't believe it happened. It's breathtaking. We didn't have a voice in it—not a voice. We didn't want to move. We were literally forced to move out. We were just told to go."Posted by Craig Ceely at August 2, 2004 12:16 AM