California’s Senate Bill 1 is what the founding fathers fought against. Straight from the U.N. Agenda 21’s playbook, SB1 will give power to a county to form a “Sustainable Communities Investment Authority” (SCIA). These Authorities have the power of eminent domain and can confiscate private property to build “sustainable communities.” The bill essentially paves the way for the loss of any true private property in California, resulting in the loss of freedom and driving down home values. If the Senate passes the modified bill, only Governor Jerry Brown (D – CA) will stand in its way of becoming law.
This means that city and county governments can create unelected bureaucracies with the power to do what’s necessary to create “sustainable communities.” It also means that the definition of “blight” will change from the original definition of abandoned and decaying buildings on residential lots to a much wider definition including anything the bureaucracies need to create sustainable communities.
Not only would the government be able to use eminent domain to procure land for public transportation, it could take private homes within half a mile of that public transportation in the name of creating a sustainable community. A private home is not really private if it could be taken at any time to create low income, low energy housing.
According to Lawrence J. McQuillan, “each Authority will be granted powers to build “Sustainable Communities” means jamming people into dense, urban centers using high-density residential housing and high-intensity retail and commercial buildings near mass transit corridors. To that end, SB 1 will grant each Authority unprecedented powers.”
Eminent domain has gradually grown to be one of the most oppressive government policies. Since the SCOTUS’ decision in Kelo v. City of New London, eminent domain continues to be the enemy of property owners. Homeowners have lost their homes to private development projects. People have been paid less for their land than they originally paid for it. Businesses have even been forced to sell their buildings to corporations. It has become perhaps the most clearly identifiable example of crony capitalism and corruption in the country. The government has failed to protect citizen’s natural rights: protecting life, liberty, and property.
In 2011, citizens voiced outrage over the ideas presented by activists, environmentalists and private developers. Property owners are worried that Senate Bill 1 will pass and the threat of increased taxes and possible property confiscation will become a reality in California. Read the full analysis of Senate Bill 1.
Source: Joshua Cook, BenSwann.com