Eminent Domain Legislation

The NY Sun had a strong editorial yesterday about the legislative effort to restrict the use of eminent domain. A bill sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner has a diverse list of co-sponsors, ranging from Maxine Waters and John Conyers on the left to Tom Delay and Mike Pence on the right.

The legislation would restrict a locality's access to federal economic development dollars for two years if an area used eminent domain exclusively for economic purposes. The legislators are, of course, trying to remedy the disastrous SC Kelo decision that legitimized the taking of private property for economic development as long as "a well devised plan" was put into effect.

The efforts on the Federal level are being matched by similar thrusts on the local level all over the country. All of which can't please our eminent domain-obsessed mayor who has been salivating over the land grab planned for Willets Point.