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If you think the politicians are looking out for you and are scared of the fury over eminent domain, think again. As Revelli Tires learned, when the opportunity for new money and higher taxes are dangled in front of these California politicians, any thing that stands in their way will be “shot down in burning flames.”

It’s been an ongoing battle over a parcel of prime property in downtown Oakland. The city took the land and with it the business on it by eminent domain to make way for housing. Today that property owner asked legislators to cut him a break.

20th and Telegraph, across the street from Sears and around the corner from the Paramount, has long been a juicy target for redevelopment.

Last year the city picked Forest City Developers to build 1,200 units, with the city underwriting the Forest City deal with 60 million dollars of redevelopment money.

One problem — Revelli Tires which had been there for 56 years, didn’t want to sell and didn’t want to move. Still, the city took Revelli Tires by eminent domain and flattened it to make way for Forest City.

Today John Revelli pleaded with a legislative judiciary committee to support a constitutional amendment that would reserve eminent domain seizures for public projects like schools and roads, not private developers.
John Revelli, Revelli Tires: “I’m forceably removed. I didn’t want it to be this way, but the City of Oakland seized my building and business and they demolished it and therefore I have nothing to go back to.”
The committee shot down the measure in the words of sponsor Senator Tom McClintock’s office, “in burning flames.” via abc7news.com

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1. Eminent Domain Now a Crime Fighting Tactic in Sacramento?
2. Georgia Legislature Works to Restrict Eminent Domain
3. Missouri Eminent Domain Bill A Landmark In the Eminent Domain Battle
4. Boynton Beach Foiled in Eminent Domain Land Grab by Governor Bush
5. California Eminent Domain Battle Looms