Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Wolkins Removes Provision from Eminent Domain Bill
Imminent Eminent Domain Deal?The Indianapolis Star reports this morning that the Indiana Convention and Stadium Building Authority may have reached a deal to protect the N. K. Hurst Bean company property from the emininent domain claims by the Authority.
An announcement of the results of negotiations between the Authority and Hurst could occur later today.Rep. David Wolkins plans to back down from a legislative proposal that could have made it harder for stadium officials to seize N.K. Hurst Co.'s land, a signal that a deal has been reached to keep the bean factory in Downtown Indianapolis.
House Bill 1010 would still impose new eminent domain restrictions on governments that want to seize land and then give it to a private developer.But Wolkins, R-Winona Lake, said Monday that he plans to remove a provision that he added to try to block stadium officials from taking 4.26 acres of the Hurst property for parking at the new $500 million Indianapolis Colts stadium.
Suffice it to say, Representative Wolkins' legislation probably had the desired effect in concentrating the thinking of the Authority members. Dave Wolkins resides in Winona Lake, Indiana, and deserves the thanks of free peoples everywhere.
