condemnation essentially means they couldn’t work out an agreeable price via negotiation and/or arbitration, most likely because the land-owners didn’t want to work out an agreement ...
eminent domain provides that any government ALWAYS has the option to take immediate possession of the condemned land and work out compensation after the face ... in my experience as a city councilman, condemnation was ALWAYS a last resort, and the mere threat of condemnation was sufficient to work out a deal ...
Methinks these lands may be owned by drug cartels. Makes sense, right?
“any government ALWAYS has the option to take immediate possession of the condemned land and work out compensation after the face ... in my experience as a city councilman, condemnation was ALWAYS a last resort”
I think that is what we are seeing here. The Trump Administration has been working to settle with landowners along here for years, but now it is down to the wire to get everything locked in, before any potential change in Administrations.
More than 100 miles in the RGV Sector have already been awarded on contract, and the funding is obligated. I think they want to ensure that all the land acquisition is completed before inauguration day as well, to prevent any radicals from using that to cancel projects. I bet we will also see a lot of even swifter condemnation action in the neighboring Laredo Sector as well.
Democrats in the area want the security, improved flood control and economic development that comes with these projects - but can’t admit to it publicly. They need the cover of the Republicans having done it all, beyond their control (these areas are the bulk of what Congress directly funded through their appropriations).