In the midst of the hustle and bustle and of your busy morning, take a minute to reflect each day on the bigger picture.
Is Wheeling government more concerned about the rights of business owners than property owners?
Recent decisions involving emminent domain could lead to that conclusion.
There are two major projects pending in the City. Both involve tearing down a block of buildings for the greater community good. The 4-year-old plan to demolish the 1100 block in downtown and create some open greenspace (and perhaps parking). And the more recent proposal for a sports field in East Wheeling. Council has begun movement on both in the past few months.
In East Wheeling, several property owners---including council member James Tiu--don't want to sell their property and the City has initiated emminent domain to force their property to be sold.
In the 1100 block, 3 business owners have said they don't want to move and those businesses are being permitted to stay.
I've asked several city leaders about this and the first response I always get--most recently last week on The Morning Show when councilman Don Atkinson was in studio--is that "they are viable businesses" and the City doesn't want to force them to sell.
But the East Wheeling owners don't want to sell either--and they claim they are "viable" pieces of property, too. Being used as the owner's home and/or profitable rental property.
There is no question that council has the right to use emminent domain--the conservative dominated, business supporting Supreme Court made that clear in the "Kelo" case (another example of the continuing erosion of citizen rights and the dominance of coporate rights).
The Mayor and council--both current and previous--have said that the driving idea behind tearing down 1100 is to get rid of some of the deteriorating buildings, clean up the downtown, and to build a cohesive block of property that could be available to potential developers.
But by allowing the 3 unwilling-to-move businesses to stay, council has assured that the block will continue with a "gap-toothed" look as the 3 properties sit scattered about in the midst of the new green space. And there will not be a developable piece of property as had been envisioned.
When elected officials develop a plan they believe in, they should have the courage to follow it all the way through.
I support Wheeling Council's plans for these projects, but I am saddened that they are too timid to stand up to businesses with the same courage of their convictions as they do to private property owners.
