KC LIBERTARIAN FIGHTS EMINENT DOMAIN LAND-GRAB
from the LP News, Oct. 1997

A Missouri Libertarian is fighting to prevent the Kansas City government from evicting 60 downtown businesses and turning their land over to a wealthy corporation to build a new entertainment complex.

And now LP member Grant Stauffer is considering forming a nationwide organization to prevent such abuses from happening elsewhere.

"They’re doing this everywhere," said Stauffer about the growing tendency of city and state governments to seize private property for commercial purposes. "This is a cancer that is spreading everywhere."

Stauffer is waging an uphill battle to keep the city government from evicting 60 small businesses and turning their land over to the Centertainment Corporation, which wants to build a 33-theater entertainment complex in Kansas City a plan which he calls a "glorious boondoggle."

The city council voted on September 29th to approve the plan, and also decided to finance the construction with taxpayers’ money through the sale of $310 million in Neighborhood Improvement Bonds (NIBs), which will be repaid through taxes.

"Centertainment will be built using OUR tax money," said Stauffer. "Taxpayers are on the hook for payment of this project."

"Centertainment stands to make millions of dollars in profit if the deal goes through. That fact outrages Stauffer because that money will be made at the expense of small, local business owners.

"This is a scheme to use our taxes to subsidize this uneconomical development and destroy 60 sound businesses," he said.

One case in particular stands out, he said: An elderly Korean named Mr. Ku, who runs a wig shop and who faces eviction.

THE RULE OF LAW

"Mr. Ku came to America because we had the rule of law," said Stauffer. "He wouldn’t have [to worry about] some rich guy taking his business away."

But a city official visited Mr. Ku a few months ago and told him that his shop was going to be taken by the city and bulldozed.

"Mr. Ku kicked out this government official and told him, "’Business not for sale!’," recounted Stauffer.

But unless the City Council changes its decision, Mr. Ku will have to sell his shop, whether he wants to or not. Stauffer noted.

"I don’t think Mr. Ku understands why this kind of thing is possible in America," he said. It’s stories like that which keep Stauffer fighting the land-grab, he said, even when the odds look daunting.

Already, Stauffer said he has waged a letter-writing campaign to local newspapers, has testified at three city council committee meetings, is attempting to organize neighborhood groups, and has been personally lobbying newspaper editorial boards and the city council.

But because the city council approved the project, Stauffer said their options are becoming somewhat limited.

"There are no more votes, so the only way to stop it is through a lawsuit or a public referendum," he said and both options are now being weighed.

But even if he loses this particular fight and is forced to stand by helplessly as Mr. Ku’s shop gets bulldozed by the city government Stauffer said he wants to keep working to reverse the growing trend of commercial eminent domain seizures.

"It’s happening in many, many states," he said. "That’s why I would like to form a national group to fight this kind of thing. It’s going to get worse and it violates the essence of why we are Americans."

+ What you can do: Interested in helping to form a nationwide anti-eminent domain group? Call Grant Stauffer at (816) 561-3596. Or write him at: P.O. Box 32731, Kansas City, MO 64171.

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