Today’s post is by Derek Walker, deputy director of the State Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.
On June 3rd Californians will vote on two competing ballot initiatives that purport to prevent abuse of "eminent domain" – the power of a government to take private property for public use.
But only one of these – Proposition 99, the Homeowners Protection Act – would limit the government’s ability to use eminent domain to take a home to transfer to a private developer.
The other – Proposition 98 – is a deceptive scheme financed by wealthy landlords that would make it easier to evict people from their homes to make way for new developments. Plus Proposition 98 is filled with hidden provisions that would seriously harm the environment.