....[url=http://www.newser.com/story/176481/seattle-seizing-103-year-olds-parking-lot.html]a parking lot that they own.[/url]
A little background first. There is a principle and practice in play that is known as "eminent domain". The idea is that the government (local, state, federal) which allegedly has the "best interests of the public and the people at heart" is empowered to (on rare occasions) take property from private owners who otherwise refuse to sell their property, and then when the property is owned by the government, improve or change the use of the land in order to benefit the population.
But in this case, they're seizing a privately owned parking lot (which is being used for public parking for a fee) and are intending to use it as a city-owned parking lot (open to the public, for fee-based parking). In other words, no change in the use of the property, except that the ownership and income from the property goes from a private owner, into the hands of the city.
Which based on my understanding of the purpose of eminent domain, is a fraudulent exercise of the power, a clear abuse, and little more than theft.
WTG Seattle.
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