60 Minutes: abuse of eminent domain

[spinbaby]

On now in the east, if you're in the west, you'll want to catch this. About how cities declare neighborhoods "blighted" and invoke eminent domain to push homeowners out of their homes so PRIVATE companies can build something more expensive that pays more in property taxes.

[imax2268]

1. something like that went

on here in Phoenix...an elderly man was going to be put out of his house that he bought and paid for some 40 or 50 years ago...and the city was trying to force him out so they could level the area and put up a business park...

it's disgusting...

[realFedUp]

2. The Bushies were talking about this very early on

you know, around building more grid systems....yeah, right.

[bahrbearian]

8. Energy Grids , Pipelines, Drilling, and Stadiums.....

[CosmicVortex10]

21. I dont think this one is party specific...

I dont think evil city councils that scarf up land have to be Repuglicans. I think this cuts across all lines and should be outlawed.

[karlschneider]

3. This crap REALLY pisses me off.

:grr:

[Noordam]

4. It is in the new Energy Bill to expand Eminent Domain

and you bet they will not like the 60 minutes show. :evilgrin:

[salin]

9. It is indeed. But in the energy bill they cede the power of eminent

domain... TO THE CORPORATIONS themselves... for pipelines... electrical lines, etc.

[JanMichael]

11. It's insane and totally corrupt, to cede that power, period.

It's hard enough monitering the People's corporations (Cities, States, Federal).

[soupkitchen]

5. Bush and his partners used unethical eminent domain to get the ball park

built in Arlington.

[Seneca]

6. bump

eom

[Pale_Rider]

7. Hey didn't Bush and his cronies did this in Arlington?

Sure did ....

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2000/06/26/editorial3.html

In 1989, Bush invested some $600,000 to control 2% interest in the Rangers. The ownership group went to Arlington Mayor Richard Greene in 1990 and told Greene it needed a new stadium or the team would move, possibly to St. Petersburg.

Arlington residents eventually passed a referendum that raised the local sales tax by 0.5% to fund up to 70% of the stadium's cost. The Ballpark in Arlington opened in 1994. Bush and his partners not only had a new park, but they controlled 270 acres of land surrounding the stadium -- land they got from Arlington through eminent domain. The stadium and the 270 acres of land cost $196 million, with about $135 million coming from the sales tax.

Bush sold the team and the rights to land around the park in 1998 and received $14 million for his share. The total purchase price was $250 million for the team, the ballpark -- which was built by Arlington residents -- and the land.

[Wonk]

10. mp3 for those who missed it

3 M

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

14. Thanks!

[Wonk]

20. Welcome. Quicktime too.

49 M

[qanda]

12. The Mayor of Lakewood, OH is a Democrat!

What is her problem? She sounded like a bonafide Bushite. Is that what happens when you gain power? You forget about the people and go for the bottom line, which is to bring in as much money as you can. I am really disappointed. All you DK people out there, please get in touch with Dennis K. and tell him to get on this one. I'm sure he knows Madeline Cain well.

[HEyHEY]

13. Nice to know if you are from that area that

You and your family are considered a blight

[imax2268]

15. Starting now on west coast...

:kick:

[SoCalDem]

16. That's how Stadiums get rammed through..

and about the tax thing.. that's a crock too.. Usually when that happens, the "entity" gets a tax-holiday for YEARS, in exchnage for the talking points used about all the groovy jobs tey will bring to the community..

Then fast forward to the time that the holiday is about to end, and the venue has to start paying taxes.. That's when they start squealing like the little piggies that they are... about how they cannot possibly afford it, and how the revenues are not what was anticipated.. and how they might have to "relocate"..(translation: extortion)..

This little dance goes on all over "murika" and taxes that should be paid to localities are NEVER paid.. Hush money does get distributed in the guise of campaign donations... to insure that the "good ole boys" who know the drill keep getting selected..and the game goes on..


The people who scammed the city out of tax money shoves money into THEIR pockets, and the politicians who enable them, shove money into their pockets, and the ordinary people who LOST out, cannot even afford to buy a ticket to watch the sporting events that take place in the stadium that evicted them and eviscerated their city's tax base..

They pay higher taxes because all the businesses and homes that were razed, are no longer paying, and the guy who booted them out, is not paying, so GUESS WHO GETS TO PAY???

[Jack The Tab]

17. Kucinich has an office in Lakewood..

I would be very interested to know his stand on this.

[imax2268]

18. That guy is in deep doo-dooo...

all those people arrested for selling cocaine were set-up I think...people like that guy should not be allowed to practice law enforcement...

Winning the war on drugs...yea...ok...by jailing innocent people...

[Wonk]

19. I think you meant to post that in this other thread instead of here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=426072

[tlcandie]

22. Ya, Georgie Poo did it for the Ranger's stadium in Texas...

pushed over 200 peeps out of their homes for MORE land than was necessary and then sold it later for LOTSA $$$ for companies/corps! I don't have the links, but read it quite a while ago on the net!