The City of Baltimore has to be one of the shadiest and most underhanded governmental agencies in the country. They have in their arsenal of “urban renewal” tools a process called the “quick take.” The quick take is the rapid taking of multiple pieces of property in a very short period of time under the guise of eminent domain. That is bad enough you say, but here is the kicker.

These thieves do not have a plan for the property. They just take the property and then package it up for a future developer to come in. Can you create a greater climate for graft and corruption. Boss Tweed would be proud. Trying to justify this makes the settlers actions to the indians look ethical.

The true concept is lets get this property before the owners know the appreciation that is available to them and keep the money for ourselves and the government to dispense. The point of a gun is a very effective sales tool used by the city redevelopment agency.

Fortunately, they are now being taken to court on this, and the state appeals court has the chance to get rid of this theft. Lets hope they do so.

The pointed questions and comments of two Court of Appeals judges conveyed strong skepticism of Baltimore’s redevelopment policy, particularly the wisdom in taking someone’s land first, then figuring out what to do with it later – because the legality of eminent domain centers on taking property only for the public good.

“When the city filed the quick take, it had no clue as to what it intended to do with this piece of property?” Judge Alan M. Wilner asked Baltimore’s attorney, adding later: “You don’t see a constitutional issue here?”

In May, in what land-use officials called the first time the court has blocked a Baltimore quick take seizure, Circuit Court Judge John Philip Miller ruled that city economic development officials failed to show “sufficient grounds” to warrant taking a Charles North bar and package goods shop called The Magnet. via the baltimoresun.com.

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