A new angle on stopping eminent domain abuse

This year, advocates are pursuing a different approach. HF 2522 (formerly HSB 608) would allow 21 state representatives or 11 senators to stop the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) from moving forward with a request to use eminent domain for a private corporation.

The IUB could resume its deliberation only after legislators conduct an independent inquiry into the proposal and 60% of House and Senate members concur that using eminent domain is appropriate.

I would go further. Since 78% of Iowans polled feel eminent domain should not be used to build CO2 pipelines, set the legislative threshold at that level. Still, 60% is a high and reasonable bar. This week, the House Judiciary Committee voted 19 – 1 to advance the bill to the House.
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How bad is the COVID surge going to get?

I received this disturbing and heart-wrenching message from a worker at an Iowa healthcare facility: “We are fighting a battle that we just can’t win here. No matter what we do, no matter how careful we are, I know without a shadow of a doubt that all our people WILL GET this thing. It has taken on a life of its own. A third of our people have COVID and half of our staff has it. We are drowning!!!!!!!” Continue Reading →

Bakken oil flows through Iowa to China

Dear Friends, First, to folks living close to Davenport, Iowa City, or Cedar Rapids, I’ll discuss my just-released book, Marcher, Walker, Pilgrim at three separate events in eastern Iowa this Continue Reading →

Midterm Election: The Color Purple

Dear Friends, First, I want to thank Matt McCoy for calling out Matt Whitaker (President Trump’s new acting Attorney General) for Whitaker’s politically-motivated witch hunt against McCoy in 2007. Whitaker Continue Reading →

My Endorsements in Iowa’s Democratic Primary

Dear Friends, First, it should come as no surprise that Gov. Reynolds signed SF 2235 — the bill pushed by the pipeline company. Years ago as an elected official in Clarke Continue Reading →