Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Tue, Sep 30 2003
Eminent Greed
I was disturbed when I saw this story on TV the other night. Then I found out there are so many of these kinds of stories that there is a whole organization out there to fight the misuse of Eminent Domain. When you can define the term "blight" by using the word greed, it's time to fight the developers--and the politicians who sell out their own constituents.
My own neighborhood is looking at a side issue of this very type of greed. The nearby city of Watsonville wants to expand its borders and its tax base with a nice land grab of property which will be developed (filled with high density housing units, plus the cars that come with them--all in an area already hurting for lack of decent jobs). The Buena Vista area has traditionally been a place of rolling hills, ag fields, horse properties and a few small streets with older subdivisions of houses on fairly large lots. When the expansion went to a vote in Watsonville, we in the Buena Vista neighborhood were never allowed to vote--even though we will be the ones most impacted by this town sprawl. A group of people have begun to try to keep the land-grabbers at bay. Ours is a tiny local issue, but so was the first abuse of Eminent Domain. Once it begins to happen on a widespread basis, it becomes tougher to fight in each new area. And if you ever drive scenic Highway 1 in California, you'll be affected too, with a view of high density housing when you come to the Buena Vista exit. So hurry on over and look now, while you can still enjoy the horses and rolling hills.
posted at: 08:12 | category: /Politics | link to this entry
I was disturbed when I saw this story on TV the other night. Then I found out there are so many of these kinds of stories that there is a whole organization out there to fight the misuse of Eminent Domain. When you can define the term "blight" by using the word greed, it's time to fight the developers--and the politicians who sell out their own constituents.
My own neighborhood is looking at a side issue of this very type of greed. The nearby city of Watsonville wants to expand its borders and its tax base with a nice land grab of property which will be developed (filled with high density housing units, plus the cars that come with them--all in an area already hurting for lack of decent jobs). The Buena Vista area has traditionally been a place of rolling hills, ag fields, horse properties and a few small streets with older subdivisions of houses on fairly large lots. When the expansion went to a vote in Watsonville, we in the Buena Vista neighborhood were never allowed to vote--even though we will be the ones most impacted by this town sprawl. A group of people have begun to try to keep the land-grabbers at bay. Ours is a tiny local issue, but so was the first abuse of Eminent Domain. Once it begins to happen on a widespread basis, it becomes tougher to fight in each new area. And if you ever drive scenic Highway 1 in California, you'll be affected too, with a view of high density housing when you come to the Buena Vista exit. So hurry on over and look now, while you can still enjoy the horses and rolling hills.
posted at: 08:12 | category: /Politics | link to this entry
