The misuse of eminent domain is the problem and it all rests on what is the “public use” and how is it judged to be worthy. Here in rural New Jersey we have a case of the misapplication of eminent domain with the condemnation of a private airport, founded by Thor Solberg, who was a prize winning aviator who bought the property many years ago with his winnings. The local open space people decided to condemn the property and turn it into more open space. Our particular township has more open space( 25% ) than any township in New Jersey already, and we can’t take care of what we have.
The real reason is that the commissioners don’t like the airport close to where they live, although the airport has been there since the 30’s. The local board scared the voters with talk of a coming jetport on the property, and got a 20 million dollar bond approved to buy the property which wasn’t for sale at that price, and then they condemned it.
The Solbergs litigated and will probably ultimately win, but in the meantime it has cost both sides 11 million each to litigate the issue. We taxpayers will ultimately pay for the folly of this. It is the hubris of maybe a dozen elected officials that they know what’s best for land use, and so far we haven’t been able to vote them out.
A huge part of the problem with ED is that the state (actually corrupt developers) comes in and offers a pittance to the owners in exchange for land that is going to become very, very valuable. They did this to people in Asbury Park, NJ but Long Branch fought it off. That is called stealing. At least Trump offered that woman in AC a million or two to take her home.
Wow, looks like a very cool airport. No argument with anything you’re saying...hopefully Trump’s Supreme Court does away with Kelo, puts an end to seizure of private land for non-critical reasons, and also makes it EASIER to seize land for critical reasons (as in highways, pipelines, and Border Walls...but not high-speed trains, since those are boondoggles).