Eminent Domain

[John Lowrie]

Eminent Domain is the right of a government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use, with payment of compensation. If this law sounds like it could be easily abused, it is because it is easily abused. This article tells the story of the Saleet family from Lakewood, Ohio. The mayor of Lakewood is in the process of using Eminent Domain to force not only the Saleet family, but all of the families from that neighborhood out. The mayor is doing this in the hopes of building an expensive condo complex there. The thought is that the city would receive higher tax revenue with the condo complex. However the Saleets do not want to move out of the home they have lived in for thirty eight years. The two sides are currently in an ongoing legal battle. 

This article does a good job in bringing to light the lives of the people that are displaced in this misuse of power. In my opinion it is not fair to use eminent domain for the profit of the city.  

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/eminent-domain-being-abused/