Re: Effects of transit on congestion

In article <44982256$0$8844$834e42db@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Zev Sero <zev@xxxxxxxxx> writes
David Dyer-Bennet wrote:

Another possibility is that a non-anarchist libertarian society might
still have some form of eminent domain -- if they feel it's impossible
to do desirable projects without it. It would probably be
considerably more expensive than ours -- maybe a process where you
find the highest arguable price the land could sell for now, and
double it, and compel people to accept that deal, or something. A
libertarian society would set the balance more in favor of individual
rights compared to the general good, sort of by definition.

One possibility is the system Heinlein mentions in _The Number of the
Beast..._: Every land owner must declare the value he puts on his
land, and pay taxes on that amount; he may revise his declaration at
any time, but if he raises it he must pay a specified number of years'
back taxes on the increase, while if he lowers it he doesn't get a
refund. Anybody may at any time make an offer for this amount, plus
reasonable compensation for the inconvenience of moving. The owner
must either accept the offer, or raise the declared value.

The benefit of this over the current system (especially post-Kelo)
is that developers need not maintain political connections in order
to have access to the power of eminent domain. Everyone has equal
access, so there's no point in paying off the local council.

This is scarily similar to the Penal Laws in 18th Century Ireland: Catholics were not allowed to own property (Land or horses, mainly) worth more than a certain amount, and if they refused to sell for that amount, they could be jailed and forfeit the property anyway.

Steve

--
Steve Glover, Fell Services Ltd.
Home: steve at fell-services dot net, 0131 551 3835
Away: steve.glover at ukonline dor co dot uk, 07961 446 902


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Effects of transit on congestion
    ... Every land owner must declare the value he puts on his ... Anybody may at any time make an offer for this amount, ... to have access to the power of eminent domain. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.fandom)
  • Re: Effects of transit on congestion
    ... Every land owner must declare the value he puts on his ... Anybody may at any time make an offer for this amount, ... to have access to the power of eminent domain. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.fandom)
  • Eminent Domain Abuse
    ... Libertarian speaker decries government abuse of eminent domain ... excessive use of eminent domain to take over private properties. ... The city wants the land for an economic ... tract of waterfront land in need of redevelopment, ...
    (sci.econ)
  • Re: OT: Conn. City Leaders OK Riverfront Evictions
    ... I have mixed feelings towards any government who used your "eminent domain" for the public good. ... The rights of the government to take over private land is only possible if all the other options have been exhausted and the land will only be used by the government. ... Now, in Quebec, a land owner has the right of passage through neighboring land to get to a public road. ...
    (comp.sys.hp.mpe)
  • Re: OT: Conn. City Leaders OK Riverfront Evictions
    ... government decides to bring in the legal beagles... ... As for other examples of eminent domain in Canada, ... been exhausted and the land will only be used by the government. ... All but one owner sold to the giant ...
    (comp.sys.hp.mpe)