Maybe we can turn this “eminent domain for private gain” thing into a force for good, not evil.

How about condemning those Riviera Dunes view-blockers going up along the river in Palmetto and putting in a nice trailer park for working families?

Then there’s Anna Maria Island, where the condomites seem to feel they and only they have the right to put up anything new. Why not take their properties away and put in some decent motels and restaurants?

And one of the best possibilities… that “City Hall” building in downtown Bradenton. I think we should use eminent domain to take it away from the city and move Joyland (a pleasant country music juke joint) there.

I know, Florida law only allows use of eminent domain to put properties into private hands to fight “blight.” To me, a working-class, Gator Lounge-going 4X4-owning, trailer boat guy, waterfront highrises are blight. Ditto $300K+ McMansions. And I’m sure city government could move into the building Gevity is vacating for their move to Lakewood Ranch.

So let’s get rid of what *I* consider blight and replace it with boat ramps, trailer parks, dance nighclubs, $1 draft bars, and junkyards (so I can get cheap parts for my old Jeep).

There’s a slight chance that a few people might not share my definition of blight, but Hey! That’s their problem, right?

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 30th, 2005 at 8:04 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.