Proposed property rights amendment draws criticism

January 19, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

by Timothy Sandefur

The Madison County (Miss.) Journal has this article on a proposal to amend the state constitution to forbid the abuse of eminent domain. The bureaucrats' reaction? Typically, they're upset that the proposal would stand in the way of their ambitious schemes for your property:

Tim Coursey, executive director of the Madison County Economic Development Authority, said that if the public votes in support of the amendment put forward by the state House of Representatives, it could kill the area's ability to compete for businesses in the future that would require private land for use.

"If that were to pass, our competition would be way ahead of us," he said, speaking of other nearby states, and other countries as well, looking to attract development.

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