Eminent domain puts land owner on the skids
“Liles, who owned the property that held the Lamp Gallery, Hudson’s Flower Shop and Country Curtains, wanted $600,000 for the property, but the county offered only $400,000, according to Carr. After Liles spent $80,000 and five years battling, Carr said, the county gave him the amount he wanted just five days before it was go to trial.
Carr said he began looking into condemnation cases across Tennessee and found similar scenarios. Despite losing legislative battles since 2010, he plans to push his eminent domain bill again.
Too often, property owners simply accept government payments because they don’t have the means to contest them, he said. “We’re just trying to help level the playing field,” Carr said.
Though local governments need to be frugal with taxpayers’ money, for the sake of fairness, it’s a playing field that needs to tilt back toward land owners. Too often, the property owner gets knocked on the head and can’t get enough to stop the pain.”
Stockard, Sam. THe Daily News Journal 11 June 2013.