I heard about this on my drive into Knoxville from Nashville today through the Phil Valentine radio show. Apparently there is a woman who owns and runs a business located on Music Row in Nashville. A Houston-based developer would like to build on it. She said she’d rather not sell it, at any price.

To any reasonable American with a respect for property rights, it seems that it would be an open and shut case, right? Not for Nashville and our Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency. Back in March, the MDHA agreed to acquire the property and resell it to the private Houston-based development firm, Lionstone.

From the Tennesseean article:

“We’re not having any conversation,” Cain said. “We’re hopeful that now she will meet with us.”

Well, tough shit buddy. This is America, and if someone doesn’t want to sell their land, they don’t have to. No matter how much “economic development” or “revitalization” is supposed to spring forth from the stolen ground.

I just heard about this today, and I don’t know the landowner, Joy Ford. Don’t know a thing about her. But if she rightfully owns the land, then I can’t see a clear-headed American disagreeing with her:

“This is private property,” she said. “It’s very painful to know that they’re trying to do this in America. There’s nothing we can do but fight.”

After the U.S. Supreme Court (strangely) upheld this time of abuse of eminent domain several years ago in the Kelo case, even Tennessee’s legislature responded with stronger wording to clarify the extent to which eminent domain can be used by the governments inside Tennessee. But not strong enough. As it stands right now, a government entity can issue proceedings and have a person or business’s property condemned on the basis of it being a “blight” on the community. That’s right. If a government agency that stands to rake in taxes through the sell of your land to a huge developer decides that your place is a bit shabby for the neighborhood… you’re gone.

In the City Paper:

Her son Carroll Ford said the effort to buy his mother’s property started with bullying, with any offer being immediately followed by, “We can just take your property.”

There’s also this:

Often times, it’s the last resort if the city can’t negotiate deal successfully with the property owner.

Alright. And exactly what requires a private property owner to cave in at some point? What if they don’t want to sell at all? Why should they be required to? If Nashville’s MDHA needs some blight, I can give them a tour of a big ole stretch of either Nolensville Road or Dickerson Road. Seriously MDHA, drop me a line.

I can honestly see myself getting involved with a sit-in on this kind of thing, if it’s required. Get the horns of the Tennessee Tax Revolt honkin’ again or something. It’s a slippery slope, folks.