Residents Fight Riverside's Use Of Eminent Domain

http://cbs2.com/local/local_story_070141942.html

Riversiders for Property Rights rejoiced after a judge threw out a city lawsuit that aimed to stop a proposed ballot measure to bar the city’s use of eminent domain.

The City of Riverside argued that eminent domain was a statewide concern, not one suitable for a local initiative.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge E. Michael Kaiser disagreed.

“We’re dealing with a local issue,” Kaiser said.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling last June upheld the government’s right to use eminent domain to acquire land for private developers from owners who do not want to sell.

Riversiders for Property Rights were trying to gather 17,000 signatures to put its anti-condemnation measure on the ballot but missed the deadline. Group leaders intend to start collecting signatures unless the City Council agreed to put a measure on a later ballot.

A ballot measure election would cost $30,000, according to City Clerk Colleen

Riverside Property Rights website: http://www.riversidepropertyrights.org