NFIB

This week, a broad-based coalition of California property owners announced that the California Secretary of State has certified the qualification of the "California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act" for the June 2008 ballot. In November of last year, a coalition of home and business owners, family farmers and taxpayer groups submitted over 1.1 million signatures.

While more than 40 states have reformed their eminent domain laws since the 2005 Kelo v. New London decision, California is not among them. While reforms have not come in time to protect some, local property owners in the Southern California community of Baldwin Park cheer the news that voters will have the chance to consider real reforms on the June 2008 ballot.

According to local residents, the City of Baldwin Park is expediting eminent domain proceedings to demolish over 500 homes and small businesses in an area of approximately 125 football fields. A letter from the developer to the city states that their investors are concerned this ballot measure threatens their project and urges the city to seize the properties before Election Day. The thousands of dollars in campaign contributions used to influence the outcome of the last city election have also prompted standing-room-only protests at city hall. 

The initiative is endorsed by NFIB, the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, the Black Chamber of Commerce and a diverse coalition of taxpayer, faith and good government organizations. It is sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the California Farm Bureau and the California Alliance to Protect Private Property Rights, and will be on the June 2008 ballot. The measure prohibits private to private takings while allowing traditional uses of eminent domain for roads, schools and water projects.