In reading about the Supreme Court decision to support local powers of eminent domain I found myself in the somewhat unusual position of agreeing with the more conservative members of the court like Scalia. Supreme Court Rules Cities May Seize Homes (via robotwisdom):
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people’s homes and businesses – even against their will – for private economic development.
It was a decision fraught with huge implications for a country with many areas, particularly the rapidly growing urban and suburban areas, facing countervailing pressures of development and property ownership rights.
The 5-4 ruling represented a defeat for some Connecticut residents whose homes are slated for destruction to make room for an office complex. They argued that cities have no right to take their land except for projects with a clear public use, such as roads or schools, or to revitalize blighted areas.
As a result, cities now have wide power to bulldoze residences for projects such as shopping malls and hotel complexes in order to generate tax revenue.
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“Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random,” O’Connor wrote. “The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms.”
That’s freaky.