SB7, the Eminent Domain bill, comes up for debate and vote in the House today. The NJ reports that there is the possibility of a killer amendment to this bill being introduced in an effort to derail the legislation. This is a part of the current Synopsis:
This Bill requires state, county, or municipal governments, or State agencies or other condemning entities to use their eminent domain authority solely for “public use” and defines that term. The Bill specifically states that benefits derived from economic development do not constitute a public use. The Bill also includes notice to property owners of the asserted public use and this policy. The Bill also sets a procedure for a court hearing to consider how the State has met its burden of proof when private use is contemplated.
Passing this bill is incredibly important. While politicians, the Chamber of Commerce and developers will tell you that passage of this bill will impede local business, the only accomplishment of defeating this bill is to let local governments increase their tax bases at the expense of property owners. And it gives the local governments valuable assets to subsidize wealthy developers with. Call if you can NOW to ask your Representative to support this bill:
- House Republicans (302) 744-4171
- House Democrats (302) 744-4351
Ask for your Representative by name, tell them or their staffer that you want them to support SB7. Alternately, you can email your Representative — find his or her address here.
Let us know what you hear on this today.
Update: Just had an email exchange with Drew Volturo, who advises that Susan Regis Collins’ info that Rep. Melanie George Marshall will be sponsoring an amendment to sideline SB7 is incorrect. While this is also on WDEL today, Drew says that Rep. Marshall’s sponsorship is “100% false”. I did note that the NJ is reporting a rumored “killer” amendment and Drew says that reporting is true — there is a rumor, but he says he doesn’t “know if anyone will be introducing the rumored amendment, but we’ll find out one way or another in the next 2 hours.”
Update 2: The NJ is reporting that SB7 has passed the House 41-0! Excellent news….