Monday, June 27, 2005

Local Defense Against Kelo


Via The Front Burner comes one way to defend against the potential depredations of the Supreme Court's Kelo ruling of last week:
There is a way around the New London decision that precludes the exercise of this power. Carrollton's citizens voted to do so in 1998 by amending our Charter. Below is the relevant excerpt from the Charter:

"Provided, however, nothing included above or anywhere in this charter shall authorize the City of Carrollton, or any corporations, agency or entity created by the City, or pursuant to the City's approval and authorization, to institute and exercise the power of eminent domain to acquire private or public property
if the purpose of the acquisition is the promotion of economic development for a private business enterprise which business enterprise would own any right, title, or interest in the property so acquired." (Emphasis added.)
Can we convene a Charter Commission to get this one paragraph added to the City's Charter? Because I highly doubt the City Council ever would.

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