The other day, I got a note in my e-mail box from the Maryland GOP regarding an amendment to the Maryland Constitution that would restrict eminent domain. As I've started getting news from the Castle Coalition, it's become a bit of a pet issue for me. Here's their press release:
REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS SEEK TO PROTECT PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS
ANNAPOLIS—The Republican members of the state House of Delegates and Senate announced today their plan to introduce legislation to curb the use by local governments of eminent domain authority. The legislation proposes a constitutional amendment to the Maryland Constitution which would restrict the use of eminent domain powers. The amendment will close the loophole that allows blighted areas to be seized which has lead (sic) to the abuse of eminent domain powers at the local level.
Chairman John M. Kane released the following statement following the announcement: "The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court seriously imperils private property rights. Our country was founded on the notion of individualism and less government interference. The Court's ruling undermines fundamental American rights. Eminent domain should be restricted to allow government to seize property only for projects like roads, schools and infrastructure projects, not strip malls and McMansions. The Republican members of the House and Senate have taken a bold step towards restoring the rights of Marylanders and protecting their property from government abuse."
The U.S. Supreme Court decision Kelo v. The City of New London, Conn., ruled that government can seize private property and give it to private parties to generate tax revenue. The 5-4 decision broadly interpreted "public use" as "public benefit," effectively allowing government to take private property and give it to another private party. The U.S. Constitution's 5th Amendment allows government to seize private property for public use.
Well, as it stands, I happen to have two representatives. Not sure how that works, but they are both Democrats, Delegates Bennett Bozman and Norman Conway. Obviously they're likely against this, but you never know when they can steal a good idea and try to take credit for it. So, instead of writing a letter to my local DJ, I wrote the pair an e-mail that goes like this:
While my political leanings swing toward the conservative side of the spectrum, I'm also aware that the voters of this district spoke and elected both of you as my representatives. Since I moved into Salisbury late in 2004, I had no say in the matter either way.
But there are times, in my opinion, where liberal vs. conservative or Democrat vs. Republican can be overcome by the simple application of common sense, making both sides see that a particular side of an issue is best for the people. Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court threw common sense to the wind in the Kelo v. New London decision. It was a disastrous verdict that gave local and state governments the ability to pick and choose who and what may occupy a particular piece of private property, for the sole purpose of gaining additional tax revenue. In the Kelo case, homeowners who had held on to their modest homes, some for decades, were suddenly uprooted to make way for a multi-million dollar development by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The local government turned over their eminent domain power to a private development company, so the result was using the overarching power of government to turn over property from one private entity to another.
It has come to my attention that a group of Republican lawmakers has proposed an amendment to the Maryland Constitution to restrict the use of eminent domain powers by "clos(ing) the loophole that allows blighted areas to be seized, which has led to the abuse of eminent domain powers at the local level."
I have been told that Maryland is not a state that allows citizen-initiated amendments to their Constitution (as states like California and Ohio do), thus it appears the only method of adding private property protection to the Maryland Constitution would rest with the General Assembly. While you inhabit the Democrat side of that aisle, it seems to me that this is an example of common sense over partisanship.
Thus, as a resident of your collective district, I'm making my voice heard and asking that you make this a bipartisan issue - please support this amendment to the Maryland Constitution.
I'll keep you posted on how that plays in Annapolis. These guys are probably going to be beating on my door for votes come next fall, and it will be interesting to see the reaction.
Tomorrow I'll be out at the Centre of Salisbury mall with the Wicomico County Republican Club as we get out in the community. We have a booth as part of the ChamberFest out there. I'm slated to work from 4 to 6 but I may go a little earlier (after Rush, of course!) Can't stay later though, since more important things (like bowling) call!
Too bad I can't be two places at once since Doug Duncan, Democrat candidate for governor, is going to blow through town tomorrow as well. If you believe his website, Montgomery County is the land of milk and honey, a palatial glen of a county where he, Doug Duncan, has singlehandedly raised the citizenry from wretched mass to enlightenment. What I don't see on there is where he REALLY got the money for a lot of these things. Something tells me that mean old President Bush and Governor Ehrlich had a hand in some of this stuff by providing the coin.
Starting to get interesting and we're still a year away. I'll have to watch the coverage of Michael Steele's announcement. Our friends at FU! Maryland pithily noted that Steele has to "BEG" for people to come out and see his announcement. Somehow I think he'll draw enough of a crowd. Remember, he doesn't have a big family and partisan hacks to fill space like Duncan did, plus we as conservatives normally WORK FOR A LIVING! Tough to be a "rent-a-mob" that way.
