by Timothy Sandefur
Bill Virgin of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has this article on eminent domain reform in Washington. Unfortunately, the news doesn't sound very good:
Last week [Attorney General Rob] McKenna announced plans for a task force to review the state's eminent-domain laws, with a report due in time for the 2008 legislative session. Who will serve on this task force hasn't been announced. According to a release from the Washington Policy Center, which sponsored the news conference at which McKenna made the announcement, the task force's goal is "to seek ways to reduce the threat of eminent-domain abuse without interfering with legitimate exercises of the government's ability to condemn property for legitimate public uses." Contained in that quote is the very point that might cause the task force to grind to a halt or issue a non-committal report.