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�,¢-z� EMINENTDOMAIN from page 3 ....................................... • The California Eminent Domain Limita- tions Act The McNea/Hipona measure requires a HOW AN INITIATNE GEI'S jury to determine just compensation before a taking of private property through eminent domain, and TO THE BALLOT prohibits taking private property for economic development purposes. It includes within the Filing initiatives with theAttomey Gen- definition of "economic development" takings, "to eral (AG) is the first required step leading to increase tax revenue, tax base, employment, qualifying a measure for a statewide ballot. housing density, or general economic health." TheAG's office has to prepare a"title and summary" of the primary points and pur- Measures Could Undermine Housing Efforts, pose of the initiative whicn are returned to Encourage Sprawl the sponsors and sent to the Secretary of State. This language is then used to print The likely effect of these proposals — if they petitions that will be circulated for signa- qualify for the ballot and are app�oved by the voters tures by registered voters. Signatures – could be to significantly limit efforts by cities and collected will then be filed with appropriate redevelopment agencies to revitalize blighted �unty officials who determine the total areas, thereby condemning many economically number of valid signatures on the petitions stressed neighborhoods to a continuing downward and report that to the Secretary of State. spiral. The measures could make it much harder to build in-fill projects, and thus could force new The Secretary of State will then deter- housing growth into surrounding open space and mine whether the total number of signa- farmland. tures is sufficient to qualifjr the initiative for Taken as a whole, these measures all forward a the ballot. The sponsors' goal will likely be to substantial reconstruction of eminent domain that collect about 1 million signatures to assure would significantly undermine the ability of the state enough valid signatures are on the petitions and local governments to make public investments to qualify any of the measures. in roads, schools, housing and other essential infrastructure. In other words, they go well beyond the issue raised in Ke/o, which was the extent to which land could be taken as part of a broader economic development plan. The League of California Cities will not consider adopting a format position on these or other mea- sures until they have actually qualified for the ballot. (See "How an Initiative Gets to the BalloY'.) PAGE 6- PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Website--wNrvv.cacities.org December 9, 2005 - Issue #47