Private Land Seizures Increase in Wake of Court Ruling

The New York Sun reports:

Officials in Riviera Beach, Fla., needed to act fast. Governor Bush was poised to sign a bill to limit government seizures of private land, jeopardizing the town's vision for a $2.4 billion waterfront redevelopment.

So city officials called an emergency meeting for May 10, the night before Mr. Bush's planned signing. Looking to beat the clock, the City Council approved a contract with the project's developer and promised to use the city's power to take land for public use to secure the necessary property.

Eminent domain is a fancy phrase for theft.