California appellate court vindicates Proposition 13’s eminent domain protection
Enacted by voters as a ballot initiative in 1978, California’s Proposition 13 gives property owners relief on their tax bills by limiting property taxes to one percent of a property’s value, with a maximum two percent increase for inflation per year. The property’s “base value”—used to calculate the one percent billâ ...
Will California worsen its already terrible eminent domain laws?
When the infamous Kelo v. New London was decided in 2005, California was already one of the worst states in the nation when it came to eminent domain. In the five years leading up to that decision, California had used or threatened eminent domain against home and business owners some 858 times for the benefit … ...
How California Republicans are encouraging eminent domain abuse
Author: Timothy Sandefur The L.A. Times tells the distressing story of how and why Republicans in the California legislature are holding back efforts to protect the state's property owners against eminent domain abuse: Gov. Jerry Brown's campaign to shut down redevelopment agencies and direct $1.7 billion of their funds to help ...
Will Jerry Brown chain down California’s eminent domain abusers?
Author: Timothy Sandefur At first, California governor Jerry Brown doesn’t seem to have much credibility on the issue of eminent domain abuse. As mayor of Oakland, he coldly oversaw one of the state’s most notorious examples of theft—the condemnation of John Revelli’s tire shop, so that the city could shift land around and open ...
Gov. Schwarzenegger ponders expanding the abuse of eminent domain in California
Author: Timothy Sandefur California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently considering whether to sign legislation that would expand the use of eminent domain for redevelopment throughout the Los Angeles area. Ziggy Kruse has more at the City Watch blog. Remember, California is the only state to have actually expanded its eminent domain power ...
Conference on Eminent Domain Abuse in California
by Timothy Sandefur I'll be the lunchtime speaker at Saturday's conference on redevelopment abuse in California, sponsored by Municipal Officials for Redevelopment Reform. More information here. … ...
M.O.R.R. Conference on Eminent Domain in California
by Timothy Sandefur I will be speaking at the MORR conference on Redevelopment Abuse in Anaheim on Saturday. That's the Municipal Officials for Redevelopment Reform. Also on the bill are Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby, Orange County Register columnist Steven Greenhut, and Dr. Mindy Fullilov, author of Root Shoc ...
California Cities Want More Eminent Domain Power
by Timothy Sandefur The Sacramento Bee's Dan Walters explains how California's legislators are already trying to repeal what few eminent domain reforms were passed recently, and make it easier for the government to take away your home or business and give it to wealthy private developers. Legislative language being circulated in the Capitol ...
California Eminent Domain Reform is Now Prop. 98
by Timothy Sandefur The California eminent domain reform initiative, which would give strong protections to California's home and business owners against the violation of their property rights, has been given a number and is now Proposition 98. You can read more about it at this site. A group of government bureaucrats, however, who oppose emine ...
California Eminent Domain Reform Initiative Gets Enough Signatures
It looks like the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer’s Association has enough signatures to put their eminent domain reform initiative on the ballot in California in 2008. … ...