Articles

Why The Government Condemns Raisins

March 30, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

by Timothy Sandefur You might think it a little strange that every year the federal government seizes up to a quarter of the entire raisin crop in California. But it's called "agricultural adjustment," and it's done by a government-run cartel that has operated since the New Deal on the theory that making raisins and other … ...

Articles

It Wasn't Just Us

March 29, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

The people of Riviera Beach, Fla., witnesses to and victims of one of the most brazen attempts at eminent domain abuse anywhere in America, have spoken.  In elections held March 13 and March 27, they voted out of office the mayor and every incumbent member of city council up for re-election.  So too were defeated … ...

Articles

Yes, This is Real.

March 27, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

by Steven Geoffrey Gieseler So teachers at a Seattle afterschool program called the Hilltop Childrens Center banned Legos.  The teachers' warped, though absolutely priceless, explanation for the decision is here.  I believe this is the first item I've deemed a "must-read" in nearly a year of writing on this blog.& ...

Articles

Robbins Editorial

March 26, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Thanks to Liberty Papers for pointing out this editorial on Robbins v. Wilkie that appears in the Colorado Springs Gazette. The Papers has a few other choice comments as well. … ...

Articles

Yet Another Redevelopment Failure

March 26, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

by Timothy Sandefur The Palm Springs (CA) Desert Sun has an enlightening report on yet another failure in California's sad history of using eminent domain for "redevelopment." Excerpt: After spending more than $14.5 million to buy land near the Indio Fashion Mall and transform the area into a hip, outdoor shopping and entertainment ce ...

Articles

Property Wars : The Government Strikes Back

March 26, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

by Timothy Sandefur Over at the Cato Institute's site, there's a podcast featuring me talking about the Robbins v. Wilkie case. You can listen by clicking here. … ...

Articles

Property Rights And The Powerless

March 25, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

by Timothy Sandefur The Orange County Register's Steven Greenhut (whose Abuse of Power blew the whistle on eminent domain abuse before most people knew what it was), has a great column today on eminent domain, the Robbins case, and other property rights issues. As Greenhut explains, the people who suffer the most from the watering … ...

Articles

Can Courts Compel Government to Abuse Eminent Domain?

March 23, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

by Timothy Sandefur Some years ago, the town of Wheat Ridge, Colorado—a suburb of Denver—decided to engage in some redevelopment. So it made a contract with the (unfortunately named) Cornerstone Group, whereby it agreed to condemn several properties and turn them over to Cornerstone, which would redevelop them. Later on, the city changed its mi ...

Articles

Eminent Domain Reform After Prop. 90

March 22, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Larry Gilbert's Orange Juice blog has some comments on eminent domain reform in California, take 2. In particular, he points to Kermit Marsh's article in the current Red County magazine on eminent domain reform in the wake of Prop. 90's failure. … ...