The Governor supports restrictions on Eminent domain:
Gov. Bill Richardson endorsed proposed legislation Tuesday that would restrict the ability of local governments to exercise powers of eminent domain.Under the proposal, eminent domain powers would be removed from the Metropolitan Redevelopment Act, and both the Urban Renewal Law and the Community Development Law would be repealed. It would not interfere with traditional uses of eminent domain in other existing law...
Eminent domain is the power of local governments to condemn a property and pay the owner fair market value. Typically, it's used to clear the way for necessary infrastructure such as for roads or utility lines, or to clean up blighted areas.
But in 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that eminent domain could also be used to condemn property to make way for commercial development. That sparked both controversy and a flood of legislation at the state level seeking to restore protection for property owners.
The Governor originally vetoed a bill along similar lines that did not include protections for small communities. This paves the way for a broader re-organization of this policy in New Mexico and, not without opponents, hopefully the Governor can build a necessary consensus to get this passed.
Comments