Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

If passed, Walker's bill would restrict the use of eminent domain. Eminent domain is defined as the power of the state to take private property for public use with payment of compensation to the owner.

Walker has proposed this bill because the Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois Mark Twain Transmission Project will be cutting through properties in his district. He told KTVO he is hopeful the legislation will be passed in order to make this project illegal.

"We need to have this because we need to protect our farmlands, the land that is very valuable in our area from these types of projects and so my bill actually says that we can't use eminent domain," Walker said.

This coming Wednesday, members of the group 'Neighbors United' who are opposing the transmission line, are scheduled to visit the Capitol to speak with Representative Walker and other lawmakers.

Continue reading at �. https://mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-us/suite

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IDAHO

Full Coverage

Lawmakers OK bill banning use of eminent domain by cities

The Idaho Statesman� BY RYAN STRUYK��

ssociated Press March 16, 2015 Updated 4 hours ago

BOISE, IDAHO � The Idaho House passed a bill Monday that would take away the government's power to force Idaho residents to sell their land for trails and greenways.

The House voted 54-15 to pass the bill and then sent it to the governor for consideration.

Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa, said the power called eminent domain infringes on personal property rights. She says stripping the power from local governments would aid the fairness of negotiations with citizens being asked to sell the land. Continue reading at �. http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/03/16/3701003/lawmakers-cities-shouldnt-use.html

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PENNSYLVANIA

Chesco residents battle Phoenixville schools' expansion

Philly.com�� Kathy Boccella, Inquirer Staff Writer Tuesday, March 17, 2015,

The Phoenixville Area School District, in Phoenixville, Pa., recently seized the Meadowbrook golf course through eminent domain Continue reading at �. http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20150317_Chesco_residents_battle_Phoenixville_schools__expansion.html

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TEXAS

Austin: Battle over toll roads underway

Corsicana Daily Sun� March 17, 2015 By John Austin, CNHI State Reporter

AUSTIN �But Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, said taking land by eminent domain � a process that pays property owners fair market value � is "egregious" even when used by government for other projects.� Read entire article at � http://www.corsicanadailysun.com/news/austin-battle-over-toll-roads-underway/article_b0d055ee-cc28-11e4-a52b-27d48040388d.html

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Daytona Boardwalk property fight in court

Daytona Beach News-Journal� By Eileen Zaffiro-Kean� eileen.zaffiro-kean@news-jrnl.com� March 16, 2015

DAYTONA BEACH � Since 2003, a group of investors has been trying to build a Boardwalk hotel.

During those 12 years, a brother and sister who lost ownership of their Boardwalk gift shop and game room because of an eminent domain action for that hotel project have been trying to move into a new oceanfront lot promised by those investors.

But neither the siblings nor investors have what they want despite more than a decade of lawsuits, closed-door mediations and settlement agreements. On Monday, both sides went before a judge.

�We lived up to our end of the bargain,� the investors� attorney, K. Judith Lane of Daytona Beach, said during the opening day of the bench trial that will be decided solely by Circuit Judge Dennis Craig.

Dino Paspalakis and his sister, Lisa Psaros, the Boardwalk property owners who were caught in the eminent domain sweep, say they�ve tried to close a deal and have repeatedly been blocked.

The case before Craig goes back to the 1980s, when California developer Bill Geary got involved in many of the beachside�s biggest projects, including the Ocean Walk Shoppes. Geary, who is now serving an 18-month prison term after admitting to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from Ocean Walk Shoppes investors, saw big potential for another Boardwalk hotel south of the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort. Continue reading at �. http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20150316/NEWS/150319564/1024?Title=Daytona-Boardwalk-property-fight-in-court

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