It is no coincidence that today the FlashReport is featuring an important column from Assemblywoman Mimi Walters entitled, Government Gone Awry: The Case for Proposition 90. It is because as we approach the General Election just a little over a week away, this ballot measure has become one of the most important on the ballot.
The fundamental property rights arguments made by Assemblywoman Walters (pictured to the right) in her piece lay out how this measure is about some very core conservative values.
Proposition 90 is one of the most important issues that should be passed by the voters that appears on the November ballot. Why? Because it goes to one of the most fundamental rights that we enjoy as Americans, and as Californians — the right to private property.
Peeling away all of the rhetoric that gets thrown about during a heated campaign where the primary mode of communication is the ‘soundbite’ — those who support Proposition 90 seek to give the owners of property, in many cases, the voter themselves, significantly increased protections against an unfair action by the government to infringe on their property rights and in some cases take their property from them!
While there have been some specific, high profile, instances of abuse of the taking of a private property owner’s holdings by the government (referred to as eminent domain) — the reality is that this happens a lot more than you would think.
Proposition 90 makes it much harder for government to do that. Period. It means that in the balance of things, here in the Golden State, the scales will be tipped towards the private citizens.
Will it mean that it may cost government more money both in their attempts to take property, and in what it will take to properly compensate a private property owner? YES. Will it mean that if a government entity wants to take YOUR property, they might actually have to go to court (and incur those costs) in order to do it? YES.
The current laws that surround property rights and the ability of government agencies to ‘declare’ that a property owner should have to relinquish theirs — and many times at a price set by the government — are just unfair.
There is an unfortunate alliance out there between government agencies and some big business interests that use this excessive government power for their interests, to try and stop the passage of the Save Our Homes Initiative.
Do not let them stop it. Nearly every Republican legislator is strongly supporting 90, and I am not aware of one Republican elected partisan officeholder in the entire state that opposes it.
PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE PARAMOUNT. WHETHER IT IS THE RIGHT TO YOUR HOME. OR THE RIGHT TO KEEP THE EARNINGS YOU MAKE FROM YOUR JOB. PASSING THIS MEASURE IS EASILY JUST AS IMPORTANT AS STOPPING THE TAX INCREASE MEASURES ON THE BALLOT.
I encourage every reader of the FlashReport to read Mimi Walters’ piece today, and click through to the Yes on 90 link at the bottom (or their ad to the right), and get involved. If this measure can pass in California, it will fan the flames of a nationwide fire to burn out those who would use government to trample on the property rights of Americans.
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