Comments on: Eminent Domain

By: lurker

lurker — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 03:05:06 +0000

Thank you for enlightening me, Mat!

What a compelling rebuttal…

By: Mat

Mat — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 00:20:05 +0000

Lurker,
You are a communist. Don’t get mad that I wrote that. Come to terms with yourself.
Why do you defend government? What is the “greater good”? How do people achieve their greater good; is it by licking the hands of the bureaucentrist animals like yourself?
Instead of whining about the lack of authority of government why don’t you complain about the fiat money system that is enslaving you?
Mat
P.S. Go Steve and Stacey!

By: lurker

lurker — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 02:34:01 +0000

I think I said Knox County, not Knoxville. Two different governments…Once again, cite one case in the past four years where KNOX COUNTY has used ED…there are NONE I can think of. I even cited a case where property for a high school was purchased without ED.

I think that eminent domain abuse should be watched very closely, however there are cases in which it is appropriate. I think the examples of abuse in Knoxville are anecdotal. Of course a poll will reflect people’s ill feelings toward ED. It’s not a pretty thing. Nobody wants to give up their land against their will. But there is such a thing as a greater good.

By: Property Rights

Property Rights — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 01:52:45 +0000

“I still haven’t heard about a case where Knox County used ED.”

That is exactly what Mike Ragsdale and Bill Haslam said. You are as informed as they are.

Here are several examples of eminent domain abuse in Knoxville:

http://propertyrightsknox.blogspot.com/2006/03/lonzo-stephens-story.html

http://propertyrightsknox.blogspot.com/2006/03/controversy-about-knoxville-community.html

By: Terry

Terry — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 01:21:14 +0000

Who mentioned Campfield? Maybe you meant your name is “Stalker” instead of “Lurker.”

59 bills were proposed in Nashville on eminent domain. The polls I cited above were conducted by mainstream, large news organizations. Would they conduct a poll on a non-issue?

In other words Lurker, eminent domain is an issue.

For sake of argument, what if I accept your premise that there is no eminent abuse Knoxville. Do you think we need no laws preventing eminent domain abuse?

The person that seems childish here is you. You are so obsessed with the defeat/destruction/downfall of one legislator, that you would ignore an issue like “government seizing private property for private development”, that as the above polls show, is one where the public is nearly unanimously opposed.

In a time when our country is so polarized on such a host of issues, it is quite amazing that there is such a consensus.

By: Lurker

Lurker — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:58:14 +0000

I still haven’t heard about a case where Knox County used ED. Didn’t they just purchase a large parcel for a West Knox County High School without it? All this fear-mongering about the “war” against ED seems to be just a way to rile up constituents. Campfield has had a lot of trouble getting legislation passed in Nashville, and while I appreciate his independence, he seems childish and misguided.

By: Property Rights

Property Rights — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:37:19 +0000

Don Bosch is also co-owner of the old KUB building on Gay Street. Will Mayor Haslam grant him a TIF and facade grant for the development of the old KUB building into condos?

Yet the owner of the McClung Warehouse has been denied both a TIF and facade grant by the City and KCDC plus has been threatened with condemnation by reason of blight by KCDC under instructions from the office of the Mayor.

I guess relationships do matter.

The law is supposed to be blind. Yet the KCDC and the Mayor work on relationships. It is all who you know.

Why are a select few property owners rewarded with taxpayer dollars and other property owners forced to hire attorneys to defend themselves from condemnation threats from the City and KCDC?

All the while both Mayor Haslam and Mayor Ragsdale say there is no eminent domain abuse in Knoxville.

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:57:46 +0000

Property Rights: What is interesting is Don Bosch’s failure to disclose his interests in redevelopment. Bosch was appointed by Mayor Haslam to serve on the “Downtown Advisory Committee.”

The group met from Nov. 4, 2004 through March 2005.

They issued a public review “Draft” for “Downtown Improvement” in March of ‘05, but if someone were interested in seeing if any discussions took place about eminent domain, he might ask if there were any recordings of the meetings.

Bottom line: Bosch should have at least disclosed he is involved in the redevelopment issue as he was appointed by Haslam to study and advise on the issue.

But no, nary a peep. He acted like a bystander on WBIR–like he had no dog in the fight. Shame, shame.

By: David Oatney

David Oatney — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 19:07:25 +0000

Ragsdale has lost my support. I will not be supporting Mike Ragsdale in the primary for County Mayor

By: Property Rights

Property Rights — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 14:59:29 +0000

Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale said on WBIR’s “Inside Tennessee” that there is no eminent domain abuse in Knox County or Tennessee.

Local attorney Don Bosch agreed with the Mayor and added that “one of the great things is that if you don’t agree with what the government takes your property for you get the right to a jury trial with 12 citizens in that box who generally don’t the idea of eminent domain.” Bosch also added, “I represent people that have their property taken.”

Read the transcript here:

http://propertyrightsknox.blogspot.com/2006/03/don-bosch-says-you-get-right-to-jury.html

By: SayUncle » Eminent Domain Poll Numbers

SayUncle » Eminent Domain Poll Numbers — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 13:06:12 +0000

[...] Terry Frank notes some polling info related to eminent domain. Most striking: Should local governments be able to seize homes for private economic development that will produce jobs and tax revenue? [...]