Another Great “You Paid For It” Segment on Eminent Domain Abuse

State and Local Government | July 14, 2009

By David Stokes | Read Time 1 minute

A few nights ago, Fox 2 in St. Louis broadcast a “You Paid For It” story about eminent domain. Featuring Elliott Davis, the piece documents the Missouri Municipal League‘s rather horrible decision to file a lawsuit challenging the petition process being used by supporters of eminent domain reform in Missouri. This is a perfect example of elected officials who think they know what is best for us and that we are too stupid to think for ourselves. It’s as though they’re telling Missourians: “If you only really knew what this petition did, and all the good eminent domain has done for you, then you would support eminent domain use for private developments.”

Check the whole thing out.

About the Author

David Stokes

David Stokes is a St. Louis native and a graduate of Saint Louis University High School and Fairfield (Conn.) University. He spent six years as a political aide at the St. Louis County Council before joining the Show-Me Institute in 2007. Stokes was a policy analyst at the Show-Me Institute from 2007 to 2016. From 2016 through 2020 he was Executive Director of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, where he led efforts to oppose harmful floodplain developments done with abusive tax subsidies. Stokes rejoined the Institute in early 2021 as the Director of Municipal Policy. He is a past president of the University City Library Board. He served on the St. Louis County 2010 Council Redistricting Commission and was the 2012 representative to the Electoral College from Missouri’s First Congressional District. He lives in University City with his wife and their three children.

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