Which Eminent Domain Petition?
Are you confused about the petitions circulating to put initiatives on the ballot that would limit the state’s use of eminent domain? Were you even aware that there were any petitions being circulated? Were you planning to sign one of them or all or them? Or none?
In any case, this article is an attempt to clarify what’s going on with the eminent domain petitions. CPR’s mission is to educate, not tell you how to vote, so you should do your own investigation and vote accordingly. But finding out where to look takes time. Below are some links that might help.
Four petitions regarding the limiting of eminent domain are/were being circulated. However, the ones being circualted by proponants Tom McClintock and the Howard Jarvis Association are reportedly no longer being circulated because of a lack of funds.
A first stop for any election research might be the Secretary of State’s website, where you can find a list of all petitions in circulation (not just those concerning eminent domain) as well as the status of those which have been submitted for verification of signatures. This is a good link to bookmark for pre-election browsing, now or in the future.
At this writing, the Secretary of State’s site does not show that two of the four petitions are no longer being circulated. It’s also difficult to figure out which is which.
The remaining two petitions each require 598,105 valid signatures, with a deadline of July 17, 2006. You may be hearing a lot about them as the dealine approaches.
In the same order as they appear on the Secretary of State’s web page they are:
- 1198. (SA2005RF0135) Government Acquisition of Private Property. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
- Call themselves: Limit Eminent Domain The People’s Initiative
- Call their initiative: California Eminent Domain Limitations Act
- 1204. (SA2005RF0146) Government Acquisition, Regulation of Private Property. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
- Call themselves: Protect our Homes Coalition
- Call their initiative: Protect Our Homes Initiative
We urge you to visit their websites and read the language of both initiatives. By educating yourselves you can decide whether or not to sign or circulate the petitions. If one of both are on the ballot you will be better prepared to be an informed voter!