[Maryland] Senate panel OKs eminent domain bill for Preakness

The Washington Times ^ | April 10, 2009 | Michael Drost

[JustSurrounded]

A Maryland Senate budget panel approved a bill Thursday that will give Gov. Martin O'Malley the authority to assert eminent domain in an effort to keep horse racing's Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted 11-4 in favor of the legislation, which will allow the state to either purchase or exercise eminent domain over the rights to the Preakness and the race track on which it is run, the Pimlico Race Course. The bill would also extend the state's eminent domain authority over Laurel Park and the Bowie Race Course Training Center.

Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, introduced the emergency measure on Wednesday in order to downplay concerns that the race, the second leg in the fabled Triple Crown, may be moved to another state by its owner, Toronto-based Magna Entertainment Corporation, which filed for bankruptcy last month.

Mr. O'Malley's top aides said Wednesday that if the measure was not adopted, the next Preakness race - set for May 16 - may be the last one to take place in Maryland.

"We're addressing a very real and immediate problem. We don't want to be in a position where we have to say we acted too late or we waited too long," said Joseph Bryce, Mr. O'Malley top legislative aide.

...

[JustSurrounded]

Can you say "abuse of power"? This should be a huge encouragement for business to locate in Maryland. Once here, if you have anything of value, it will belong to the State if you try to leave.

[AAABEST]

Now we're confiscating private property for friggin' HORSE RACING.

[KevinB]

Property rights? We don’t need no stinkin’ property rights!

[rovenstinez]

Probably non of the minorities are affected, like no burial grounds for some ancient tribes, or nesting place for a mosquito or some owl that is close to extinction, just majority race people living there for years raising families, am I right?

[big'ol_freeper]

Boy wonder strikes again.

[I_Like_Spam]

The Democrats are showing their silliness- how can they prevent horse owners from sending their top 3 year olds to a different track on the 3rd Saturday in May?

And what does this have to do with “eminent domain”?

What does the state legislature want to do? Nationalize Pimlico and give an open checkbook to subsidize the purses so that horse owners would be stupid not to go to Baltimore?

[1rudeboy]

Federal law prohibits a state from using eminent domain to seize the assets of a bankrupt company.

Don't let that stop you, Gov. O'Malley.

[pnh102]

You would think the Maryland state legislature would have learned a lesson from when it tried the same thing with the Baltimore Colts.

I predict a fleet of Mayflower trucks zooming out of Pimlico in the middle of the night in our near future. ;)

[Boiling Pots]

What does the state legislature want to do? Nationalize Pimlico and give an open checkbook to subsidize the purses so that horse owners would be stupid not to go to Baltimore?

Compared to what Bush and the last Congress did, that would be a pretty mild action.

Also, don't give them any ideas.

[allmost]

It's hard to maintain a profitable attraction when the surrounding area is generally a crime infested hellhole. The root cause of the economic failure here is Pimlico’s surroundings IMO.

[MuttTheHoople]

Da gubmint's abuse of power will increase exponentially under King Pu$$y. Next thing you know, gubmint bureaucrats will declare primae noctis, although since most lefties are a bunch of fairies we probably need to worry about our sons.

[KevinB]

...just majority race people living there for years raising families, am I right?

Pimlico is not in the best area. I would say it's definitely a minority area. Of course, O'Malley will say that his actions are protecting that minority neighborhood.

It certainly does illustrate the arrogance of government. Any attempt to do this should be thwarted on Constitutional grounds.

[Salamander]

I went to the Preakness....once.

Seattle Slew ran.

Never went back.

I hope the owners bug out and leave O’Muley with a useless oval pasture.

Maybe he could start up some dirt track car racing.

[Vaduz]

Federal law prohibits, we seen how well that works for obama the progressive and people think pirates are the bad guy’s.

[silverleaf]

O Malley has done such a fine job running the city of Baltimore, the Baltimore City Schools and now the indebted state- he’s eager to prove he’s just as good at managing expropriated businesses as his bolshevik party in DC

[Condor51]

Okay liebster Führer O'Malley. Seize Pimlico and 'the Preakness Stakes' by emminent domain. But then Hinterteilkopf -- suppose YOU gave a Horse Race and nobody came?

The 2nd race in the Triple Crown can be called the 'Potatoes Stakes' and held in Kansas mumbnutz.

[Condor51]

%&*#@ ... *&%$# it
I have to get 'numbnutz' into my spell check dictionary app.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I believe the proper term for this travesty is jus primae noctis. Lock up your daughters (and sons) of all ages.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

We have to save Pimlico so that the Naval Academy can sing about "Northern Scum" on National TV.

IX

I hear the distant thunder-hum,
Maryland!
The Old Line's bugle, fife, and drum,
Maryland!
She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb-
Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum!
She breathes! she burns! she'll come! she'll come!
Maryland! My Maryland!

[Abundy]

Does anyone else see a frightening similarity to Atlas Shrugged and Directive Number 10-289?

Holy Shit

We have an elected official authorizing the government taking of a private enterprise that wants to move from one state to another due to an inhospitable business climate that is causing the private enterprise to fail.

And people will continue to elect these morons...Rand was an intellectual giant.

[the OlLine Rebel]

AGREED! But I’m not allowed to say so on the racing fora. I’ve been called “racist” for it.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Not at all. Preferred minority, of the worst moral fiber.

And WAY too close to the track itself. Horses have had to learn about gunfire.

[JustSurrounded]

Does anyone else see a frightening similarity to Atlas Shrugged and Directive Number 10-289?

Hmmm, you're right, now that you mention it!

We've had great "eminent domain" discussions in our house as a result of this. The concensus, even with our resident socialist, is that this is a private business matter.

Is O'Malley just warming up his creds for a presidential run ... or frantic in fear that losing the Preakness on his watch may affect his re-election efforts?

[Abundy]

or frantic in fear that losing the Preakness on his watch may affect his re-election efforts? that should affect the re-election efforts of anyone who has voted for the current taxation scheme in this state so, I think the answer is "yes" but, you know what, there isn't a damn thing that we can do about it here in MD...the looters are in charge and are going kill this state as sure as they are killing CA, DE, NY and NJ