Maine Lawmaker Seeks More Eminent Domain Protections for Landowners
“”Should people have to live in fear for years and years and years that their property is going to be taken and they’re going to be given nothing for it?” he asks.
Sen. Thomas says no. He’s sponsoring LD 58. The bill proposes amending the Maine Constitution to put some restrictions on eminent domain. Thomas was sick and unable to attend Tuesday’s initial public hearing on his bill, before the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.
“if it we’re up to me, I’d do away with eminent domain altogether,” he says in a telephone interview. “But you can’t. But we’ve definitely got to stop abusing it and this is a good place to start.”
Under the measure, the state has five years to use property for the purpose it was taken for. When the five years is up, the state must then offer up the land to the original owner or heirs at fair market price, before the property can be transferred to a person, non-profit or corporation for use on some other project.
Officials from Cianbro did not testify at Tuesday’s hearing. Sen. Thomas will get a chance to push for his bill when the Judiciary Committee holds another public hearing on the measure in the coming days.”
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Field, Jay. Maine Public Broadcasting 5 February 2013.