Florida legalizing land graps for developers

[MSgt213]

Land seized for private use possible

Legislation would help developers

By JEFF CULL, [e-mail]
Published by news-press.com on April 26, 2004


Florida’s constitution allows governments to take your land for a public purpose, such as a road or school, as long as you receive a fair price.

But legislation — which could be approved this week — would allow a city or county to take an individual’s land, with fair compensation, and sell it to a private developer for a shopping center or office building.

Opponents of the proposed law say it’s little more than a government-sponsored land grab for developers.

“This bill is a shocking grant of wholesale power to counties to condemn very large amounts of property just to assemble it for private development,” said Dana Berliner, senior attorney at the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm.

http://www.news-press.com/news/local_state/040426land.html

[texastoast]

1. Pathetic

I guess the prediction that 50% of all species will be extinct in the next 30 years is going to come true. Fight, fight, fight.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. This is actually not as bad as it appears.

Where I live, they're willing to pay millions for a few acres of land, if the land is in a good location. Remember, it's Republicans who are running the government now, so they give private individuals an outrageous deal at the public's expense.

[onethatcares]

3. do you think Wal Mart corp has anything to do with this?

Here in St Pete, they lost out on building a supercenter due to loss of green space, too much additional traffic, blah, blah blah.

Seems, someone from wallyworld is looking to the future, to me.

[Solon]

4. Seriously doubt it...

You have to remember that the repubs don't value individuals, only corps. So they would probably only take the land at below market price, then sell to the corps for an even smaller price. Remeber, "Fair Market Price" is subjective in the first place.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Not if they're playing with other people's money.

I've seen commisioners increase the value of property by voting in favor of zoning changes from rural to commercial, and then purchasing the property at commercial rates because they needed the land to satisfy parkland needs for the city.

It's crazy. One City in Central Florida has a billboard at the entrance that boasts about its property rights roots. And believe me it has the roots. In its dark history it has a judge who, with the help of two local boy attorneys, stopped the county from charging for impact fees from the city. It just so happened that the judge owned vast property in that city.

[Heyo]

6. This is deplorable!

I am big on ownership of things you work for.

Basically I believe you have a right to your own stuff! Is that too much to ask?

Heyo

[SharonAnn]

7. These are Republicans. They get rich by stealing from us!

It's the way the openly operate now. They don't even try to hide it.

If you have it and they want it, they'll take it. Of course, they'll give you a "fair" price for it. Then they'll sell or give it to their cronies, probably taxing you to put in all the infrastructure their cronies need, and they'll all get rich.

Isn't GOP-land wonderful? It's a win-lose game. They win and you (we) lose.

[madfloridian]

8. Can you say "Cypress Gardens"....a little OT but a land grab.

People don't have a clue what is happening.