The term, “eminent domain,” when invoked by government, infers a sense of nobility, honorability, and indicates an exercise for the public’s common good. In many cases, the use of eminent domain can be beneficial to a community in need but should only be utilized when no other alternatives exist. Sadly, more often than not, it’s used as a bludgeoning tool to lawfully take property from legal landowners, under the guise of the “greater public good,” or in the “public’s best interest.”
The core concept behind eminent domain is that government can claim private property for public use but must pay “just compensation.” And to be clear, the term “just compensation” is not some simple phrase created out of thin air; it is deeply rooted in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution and buttressed by numerous Supreme Court rulings over the years. The Fifth Amendment’s Taking’s Clause prohibits the government from taking property for public use without providing “just compensation.”
Enter Christian Faith Center Church and its sprawling 50-acre campus in Federal Way Washington. The Christian church, child day-care center and Pacific Christian Academy property has been targeted for condemnation or acquisition by Western Washington’s public transit agency, Sound Transit. Sound Transit intends to use the property for “potential future light rail expansion” and a facility for testing and conditioning of its light rail vehicles. Despite numerous alternative sites that exist, the thriving Christian community campus was chosen above all others for the taking.
Current estimates show Sound Transit running up to a 35-billion-dollar structural deficit, which is expected to increase substantially with cost overruns up and ridership down significantly. The parallels between Gavin Newsom’s train to nowhere in California, AKA the “Bakersfield Express” are astounding, especially when you consider the lack of federal tax dollars and grants, which are drying up considerably. These boondoggles are no longer being funded by the federal government due to the lack of transparency and the complete disregard for financial accountability. It’s simply outrageous how this legal tool is being wielded not for altruistic reasons, but rather as an instrument of political self-interest…