Mister Phillips, a candidate for the District I Contra Costa County Supervisor seat currently held by John Gioia recently posted on his blog about eminent domain on his campaign site.
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution gives all levels of government the power of eminent domain, the right to buy private property for public use even if the owner does not want to sell. Historically, the government has exercised the power to acquire land for public projects such as road construction. However, the government has begun exercising the power to acquire land for private development such as tract homes in redevelopment areas.
I disagree with this practice. I do not believe the Framers intended the government to exercise the power of eminent domain to obtain property for private land developers. My position matters because Proposition 99, which voters passed last year, only protects owner-occupied residences from this particular abuse of government power. The proposition does not protect other private property including commercial and rental property and open space. As county supervisor, I will protect this property also.
We sure hope Phillips is serious and grows some tough skin—unlike other toilet paper thin Richmond politicos—because it will be a knife fight to get any change on this matter from the ruling elite in Contra Costa County, whether at municipal, county, or legislative, and federal levels. Why? Because none of these electeds will stand up for property rights but sell your property out from underneath you so they can give it to politcally connected developers and builders so they can build a mall in the hopes of raising tax revenue for bloated city and county budgets.
This violation of the Fourth Amendment instead of cutting spending.
Even last year, the Contra Costa County Supervisors bent over backward to violate the Brown Act to sneak a vote to support continued government eminent domain abuse (Prop 99) under the carpet of the consent calendar.
Closely related, Supervisors also voted to allow Tom Koch’s camel nose slip into the tent by voting to “allow” a study for the New Farm project he represented, essentially negating voter approval of the Urban Limit line, eminent domain abuse of the public will.
Money talks and Supervisors walk, Mister. Whether it’s donations from Indian Casinos, developers, or shaking down Chevron. Why will you be any different than the incumbent?
Is it really time?
We hope your lofty Jeffersonian principles remain intact after your many wine and dines at the hands of the California Redevelopment crowd. If there ever was a faceless monied “they” pulling strings behind the scenes, this is “them.”
Good luck with that!