Norwood Rights and Revenue

Property rights advocates, and those who oppose Kelo, are pleased with the decision made by the Ohio Supreme Court. In a case that attracted heavy national attention the state judiciary sided with the Gamble family of Norwood and defended them against the idea of eminent domain for tax revenue purposes only. The developers and Norwood officials can't force their plans on unwilling residents.

But this ruling doesn't settle the issue completely. According to DailyPundit:

The best defense against eminent domain abuse is action by state legislatures to amend state law -- and state constitution if necessary -- to stop would-be land grabbers in their tracks.

In the future developers will think twice before running roughshod over neighborhoods and communities with the confidence that the government will back them - but they're not going to abandon these prospects entirely, until there's a law on the books.

And meanwhile, the city of Norwood is a mess. The moral victory has been won for one family, but everyone else has the worst of both worlds: A mostly-vacant lot and an eyesore and zero positive impact on Norwood's tax base. Local officials are already claiming that they'll need to lay off teachers and firemen.

Growth does matter, and somehow needs to be achieved without abusing individual property rights. People who gnash their teeth over greedy corporations need to explain how they are going make their tax nut - especially if they're big supporters of government programs. An enormous empty lot isn't a source of any tax revenue, either from citizens or commerce, and it adds to the perception that Cincinnati has surrendered economic development to more business-friendly neighbors.

More coverage here and here.